


She's Got A Boyfriend Anyway

by amyraudenfelds



Category: Faking It (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, Pining, also karmy endgame bc lbr that's what we're here for, also slow build, seriously just endless chapters of pining, sometimes angst but mostly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 12:19:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 45,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1940835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyraudenfelds/pseuds/amyraudenfelds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amy Raudenfeld has a big problem. Her best buddy Liam just met the girl of his dreams, it just so happens that she's also the girl of Amy's dreams. Now Amy has to choose whether to do the right thing and let her friend be happy, or go after what she wants. And it's so hard to do the right thing when the "wrong thing" has incredible hazel eyes and the cutest smile. Yes, Amy definitely has a big problem.</p><p>(College!AU. Liam and Amy have been friends since childhood. Karma and Amy first meet at college.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Tell me again: why are we carrying a fuckton of cardboard boxes around?” Amy asked, warily as Liam handed her yet more boxes. The ordeal had begun when her roommate and resident best friend, Liam, texted her asking if she was up to something. Amy should’ve said she was really busy binge watching season two of Orange Is the New Black, but then again, even if she said she was busy, Liam would know she was lying. It was just how their relationship worked. Liam knew the littlest things about Amy, and Amy knew everything about Liam. They were friends since high school, and Liam was so important and supportive of her when her family wasn’t. So they were kind of two peas in a pod.

Which led her to this situation. When Liam told her he needed help with some boxes – Amy figured it was for his latest art piece, and she was a little surprised to find empty boxes getting loaded into his car. But she just couldn’t say no to him. That’s what best friends are for, or something like that.

“Because there’s this girl I met in your uni and she’s moving out from the campus, so she needs recipients to put her stuff in, hence the cardboard boxes.” Liam retorted, while he grabbed a few more boxes and threw it in the back of his car.

“Wow, she must really be a keeper if she’s got you acting like a gentleman.” Liam looked at her with mock outrage.

“If you really wanna know,” Liam leaned against the passenger side of his car and crossed his arms “she’s really nice, and she’s, well, she’s very cute.”

“And the truth is unveiled.”

“No, it’s nothing like that. We have run into each other in campus on some occasions, and I think I have a shot with her.” He said sheepishly.

“Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? You look like a walking talking Abercrombie model, of course you have a shot with her.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll see. You know what’s the best thing, though?”

“What?” Amy asked as she closed the car’s trunk.

“Her name is amazing. It’s Karma.”

“Shut up.” Amy hit his arm lightly. “Who in their right mind would name a kid Karma? I mean, it’s an awesome name, though.”

“That’s what I thought. Anyway, how are things on your end?”

Amy paused and considered her answer. When Liam asked her how were things on _her_ end, he usually meant to ask why she was being such a shut-in and not going out like average people do. Amy had a lot to thank Liam, after all, he was responsible for introducing her to Jasmine. Jasmine is a great girl who was in Liam’s sculpting class, and she was also Amy’s girlfriend. Amy really liked Jasmine, but she couldn’t really connect with her. It was nothing wrong with Jasmine, though, it was all Amy. She just felt so without purpose with Jasmine. It was like this whole time they were dating, they were actually just being friends. And not even the kind of friends that do things together that friends don’t usually do. So Amy had to let her go. It was actually, more of an agreement between both parts.

She brushed a strand of her hair away from her eyes and sighed. “I thought we already had covered there are no single fish in the Great Lesbian Sea, Liam.”

“I’m sorry, I know I have been asking you this frequently and I know you must be getting pissed at me by this point, but you know, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Well, some of us don’t need to get laid every single week to prevent a pouty face.” Amy felt the poison in her words as soon as she let them out.

“Wow.” Liam said, and by his tone Amy could see she had hurt him.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… It came out wrong.”

Liam looked at her with his sulky eyebrows and after a moment, smiled. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t be that nosy.”

“Probably. But also, things are going really slow and I’m afraid there’s no one for me _out there_ , Liam. You know, in the cosmos or something. What if I wasted my chance?”

“Ah, come on, Amy. You and Jasmine were more sisters than girlfriends. Don’t stress yourself, you’ll find someone. And even if you don’t, I’m sure you can be happy with kittens running around the apartment.”

“I’m not a crazy cat lady!” Amy snorted and then grimaced, “I do love kittens, though.”

“Okay,” Liam said, smiling. “I think I’m gonna take these bad boys back to Karma’s now.”

“Good luck. Are you sure these cardboards aren’t too heavy, though? We all know I am the brawn of this duo.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” Liam said as he got in the car and started it. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Are you sure? Aren’t you hoping for this quick going to Karma’s house to become a ‘don’t wait up’ instead of a ‘be back soon’?”

“You think too low of me, Raudenfeld.”

“Okay, whatever, Booker.” Liam shrugged as she walked back into their apartment, “I’m going to set up a Netflix queue and whether you’re here or not, I’m gonna watch the whole thing. Have fun!”

Liam did come back soon, though and that earned him a curious expression from Amy’s part, which he just responded by shrugging. Amy patted the spot next to her in the couch, and handed the popcorn bucket she was holding out to him. They spent a good time like that, just watching TV together, until Liam said something about having to wake up early. Amy just nodded and told him goodnight, but before Liam went to his room, he turned to Amy.

“Oh, by the way, Karma wants to meet you.”

Amy smirked, “Are you already in the phase where you introduce her to your family?”

“She just wants to make it up to you for having to carry boxes around here and there. She thought it was nice of you.” Liam replied.

“Okay. I’ll let you guys buy me a salted caramel Trufflelata. But I also take payment in cash or even Chipotle coupons.”

Liam laughed. “I’ll tell her that.” And with that, he went to bed.

* * *

 

“So you’re telling me you did nothing this weekend other than watching Netflix?” Shane asked, with disbelief all over his face.

“Yeah… Oh, there was this thing, yesterday. Liam and I had to carry these cardboard boxes all around.”

“Oh, that improves your weekend by a hundred percent, how could you not invite me, Amy?”

“Shut up.” Amy rolled her eyes at her friend

“No, but really, I’m interested now. Are you moving? Are you plotting murder? I’m dying for the deets and so far you haven’t given me any.”

“Well, we didn’t need it. I was just helping Liam out with this girl.” Amy shrugged.

“Aren’t you always?” Shane sighed.

“Hey, be nice. It’s not like Liam doesn’t help me out with stuff too.”

“I’m not saying he doesn’t, Amy. I’m saying you’re not giving him too much to help you out with. It’s hard for you to believe it, I know, but the love of your life isn’t going to come knock on your door, ask for some guacamole and sweep you off your feet.” Shane put his arm around her shoulders, “And we gays have to work twice as hard. It’s not like Nicholas Sparks sits around and writes novels about us. You have to take the reins of your own life.”

“I’m not looking for anyone in particular right now.” Amy looked at him and frowned at his smug smirk.

“Maybe not. And you’re totally fine without anyone. You are smart as all hell, witty and gorgeous. And if you feel fine that way, then by all means, continue doing your thing. But what I’m saying is that sometimes it’s good to just have that someone, you know? Even if it’s a casual thing, it makes wonders for the self-esteem.”

“Alright, Oprah. I’m gonna get some coffee before class, do you want some?”

“No. I’m trying out this new coffee detox thing right now so my skin looks better.”

“How’s that working out for you?” Amy grinned.

“My skin is as flawless as a baby’s, but I feel like shit. It’s like I’m on autopilot. But it’s said this goes away soon enough. My skin will remain amazing, though.”

“Good for you. You look awesome.”

Shane gave her arm an affectionate squeeze, “I’ll meet you for lunch later. Think about what I said, okay?” He smacked a kiss on her cheek and walked away towards the building.

When Amy started college, she was afraid of being alone. Well, not exactly alone, she’d always have Liam, but he was minutes away from her in his art school. It was just the old high school jives. Amy wasn’t popular in high school, and she was completely fine with that. She was fine with just hanging out with Liam and some other people from school she got along. But when college time came around, she thought she was just so immature for all this. And with that came the fear to feel left out, because so many new things were being thrown at her, new knowledge, new people. It was exciting and scary, and then she met Shane Harvey.

Shane was Amy’s go to therapist, he was her best friend – not in the same way Liam was, because they were childhood friends – but he was as great as Liam. Amy could always go to him with a problem and he would help her out, and vice-versa. He wasn’t judging of anything, and it helped out he was gay, because as much Liam tried his best, sometimes his advice were not that great on the queer field.

Shane was pretty much the opposite of Amy, and that’s what made their dynamic so good. The fact that he was the ying to Amy’s yang and whatever. He also gave her really sincere advice. She was kind of being a shut in lately after everything seemed to die out with Jasmine. She didn’t think there was anything out there she was missing, but Shane was right, sometimes you just want to share stuff in a more intimate way. Sometimes you want a friend that’s more than just that. And if Amy was going to admit it, she wanted a person like that in her life. Her past relationship didn’t work, but that didn’t mean she should give up on trying to socialize altogether. As she paid the barista and waited for her coffee, Amy gave herself a pep talk to make her promise she would try harder and put herself out there.

Her inner monologue was interrupted briefly by hot hot coffee being spilled on her t-shirt.

“ _Shit!_ ” She cursed under her breath.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Amy felt hands all over her arms and shoulders and looked up to see who had spilled her coffee on her. She was pissed mostly because the coffee was hot and it hurt her quite a bit, but once she saw the girl who had spilled it, she took a beat.

In front of Amy was standing the cutest girl in the world. Now, that can be quite a fallacy, since Amy has had not and never will have the privilege to see all the cute girls the world contains, but in Amy’s life, she had never seen a girl like this. Of course she was attracted to her, how could she not? She had these big, hazel puppy eyes and she was scrunching her nose in the cutest way, and it didn’t help she had great auburn hair falling down her shoulders in soft curls, so yes, Amy’s rage was instantly dissipated.

Amy took a look down back at her shirt and evaluated the damage, she shrugged. It didn’t look so bad, the stain on her shirt would not be too hard to remove, and she had brought a hoodie along, so she would be fine until she went home.

Amy smiled at the girl, “Oh, it’s no problem,” She dismissed it with a hand gesture “It doesn’t look that bad, and I have a hoodie to cover it up.”

The girl seemed to calm down at that but she still had the traces of a pout on her lips “I’m really sorry. I feel so bad for spilling the coffee on you.”

“Don’t worry, it’s all good.” Amy reassured her and the girl retreated her hands from Amy’s arms, Amy frowned minutely at the loss of contact between them. “I’m glad to help you.”

The girl’s expression was confused, “I’m sorry, I don’t get it.”

“It’s just that the black coffee from this particular place in campus is gross. If you want a tip, it’s always better to go with the iced ones. At least you don’t taste the coffee that way.”

“Oh, okay,” A smile grew on the girl’s face as she got Amy’s joke, “Thanks for saving me from gross coffee, then. You’re my knight in shining armor.”

“Don’t mention it.” Amy winked. She felt somewhat nervous though, she didn’t know if it was her or if the girl’s delightful smile was doing that to her. She settled for a combination of both. She felt ridiculously rusty at this, but it felt like they were slowly stepping into flirty grounds right now, and Amy sucked at flirting. But she tried.

“You are really nice. I should know because I am clumsy sometimes and when I bump into people or have coffee spilled near them their reaction is to curse me.”

“I would never do that.”

“That’s why you’re nice.” The girl grinned and then bit her lip, making Amy’s train of thought derail momentarily, “Um, do you know for happenstance where the Experimental Physics class take place?”

Amy scratched her head, “I do not, but I have a pretty good guess that’s in the Physics building. Its right after the café, just make a left, you’ll see an old marble porch building with Physics right there on the top. They have a board with the rooms and the classes right on the entrance like every building around the campus does, you should be fine.”

“Thanks. I think I’ll buy some more coffee then, and go to class.”

Amy nodded, “Get an iced one, and remember, the coffee here tastes gross when it’s not covered in milk and whipped cream and syrup.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” The girl said as she reentered the queue.

“I’m uh, I’m not trying to pry but are you new here? You know, with the building question.”

The girl’s face lighted up, it seemed like she didn’t have people being interested on her story, and Amy got it, New York could be a rude place sometimes. Not exactly rude, Amy loved the city with all her heart, but life was rushed. The city never sleeps and it seems like neither do the habitants of the city, for someone who just moved, this could be hard to adapt, but if there was anything that Amy could say to the girl to make her feel better is that New York welcomes you like no other city does. If you find the time between all the rushing up to get to know the city, you’ll fall in love with it rather quickly.

“Yeah,” The girl frowned. “Is it too obvious? I mean, people here are always rushing around and it’s so different from where I come from.”

“You get used to it pretty soon.”

“I guess. And there are always good people who are willing to help out. I’m lucky I met a few.” The girl paid the barista and waited back where Amy was standing. “I’m still settling in, though. I know nothing of the city yet.”

Amy was feeling kind of brave and so far she hadn’t run her mouth so she felt like she was about to and couldn’t help herself before she let out “Maybe I can show you around some good spots around the city. You know, the really good spots, not the tourist ones.”

The girl seemed to enjoy the suggestion and irresistibly smirked at Amy, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

The barista put a new cup of iced coffee by the cupboard that Amy resolved belonged to the girl, she got her own cup out of it, as it was hanging there since the coffee-spill accident and grabbed the other cup, handing it to the girl. The girl took a sip of it and deliberated for a little.

“Not bad. I’ll have to know your name, by the way. I have this whole ‘I-don’t-go-out-with-strangers’ kind of policy.”

Amy smiled, trying to not focus on the millions of ways ‘go out’ could be interpreted, “Amy Raudenfeld.” She gave out her hand and the girl shook it.

“Nice to meet you, Amy. I’m Karma Ashcroft.” Karma looked down at her watch and let go of Amy’s hand with an apologetic expression, “And I’m super late. Sorry, I have to go.” Karma turned away from Amy but then looked back to say “Hey, Amy, I’ll see you around!” And she was gone in a daze.

“Bye.” Amy waved as she was pretty much frozen right there in place, because she really liked this girl and Amy wasn’t delusional, they were flirting. Weren’t they? Okay, maybe Amy was a little bit delusional. But the fact is that Amy thought they could get to know each other better, and evolve into something more than just acquaintances.

The only problem is that Amy put two and two together. Liam met a girl in her campus. And Liam told her the girl was named Karma. And how many people were there in that particular campus named Karma? Amy guessed not many. And having seen Karma, she looked Liam’s type. In conclusion: Karma was Liam’s new girl. The girl Liam wanted to woo and all that jazz. But Amy wanted to woo Karma, too. Only she couldn’t do that to her best friend.

Suddenly the coffee on her shirt seemed like the most meaningless problem she had right now. Because Amy was _starting_ to crush on her best friend’s crush.

She sighed as the realization hit her whole, “I’m so fucked.”


	2. Chapter 2

Since their meeting in the coffee shop, Amy had not seen Karma around campus at all. Or well, she had avoided seeing Karma. Step one, she stopped going to the coffee shop where they had met and step two was just basically skipping places whenever Amy thought she was seeing glimpses of auburn haired girls. It might’ve seemed like Amy was overreacting to just how well they interacted, but whenever she was home, Liam went on a rampant about Karma and how wonderful Karma was and how they were getting closer and going to places Liam wanted Karma to get to know around the city.

It kind of resented Amy, since she proposed that to Karma before Liam did, but whatever. Anyway, Amy just didn’t do that. She didn’t fall for straight girls, she knew better than that. She did it once, it didn’t go well, Amy was a wreck and Liam – as always- was around to pick up the pieces.

That’s why she couldn’t do that to him. She couldn’t go for the girl Liam was starting to like. And that was huge for him. Amy didn’t see Liam pining after a girl since freshman year of high school. And that lasted for like, two weeks. This Karma thing had been going on for almost two months now. It was a huge step for Liam, and Amy didn’t want to say Liam was falling in love, but that’s what he seemed to be doing. He also always sneaked up in their conversations about Karma how badly the girl wanted to meet Amy.

Yes, maybe Amy figured out the Karma she met and Liam’s Karma were the same girl, because how many people named like that existed in their campus? Not many, Amy calculated. But Amy was a pretty common name, so Karma could only think it was a coincidence.

Amy had been taking this like a champ for the team, avoiding Karma at all costs, but even her ninja skills weren’t enough sometimes. Sometimes, she got a glimpse of Karma far off from where she was, and she just allowed herself to stare for one or two seconds. Amy just really appreciated the girl was always smiling, and how wonderful her smile was. Or how sometimes she studied in the green spaces of campus, lying around in the grass, with an assortment of books around her, legs crossed and up and concentration in her face. Okay, so maybe Amy allowed herself to stare more than a person who’s really trying not to like someone would. But Amy just longed for whatever they could’ve had, even if it was merely friendship. Karma had made some friends lately, which made Amy happy. She liked to see Karma happy, because she seemed like a good person. Of course Liam would fall for the most amazing person, because to Amy, Liam was pretty amazing, too. So of course he deserved the best.

She was pretty sure no one had picked that she was avoiding anyone, let alone liking someone.

But of course she had underestimated Shane.

“Okay.” Shane came up to her one afternoon when she was studying and sat down across from her, looking at her with the most serious expression Amy had seen on the boy’s face in this entire time she’s been around him, “Spill.”

Amy grabbed the bottle of water beside her and let a little spill on the ground beside their table.

“What are you doing?” Shane asked, confused.

“You said spill, so I just did.” Amy laughed at her own joke, “Get it?”

“You are so weird.” Shane’s face was mock disgust, “I know something’s going on, Amy. And I know you well enough to know it’s not about the classes, because so far you’re going pretty well, otherwise you’d be full on freaking out, but instead you’re really quiet and pensive all the time. And that’s not default Amy.”

“Hey!” Amy said half-shocked, “I am pensive. I can be pensive.”

“Right, but tell me one thing. What’s in your Netflix queue?”

Amy scratched her head, “Uh, nothing? I haven’t really been in the mood for Netflix lately.”

“Ha!”

“What?! I’m just really busy with college stuff. I’d rather pass my classes than procrastinate.” As she said that, even _she_ knew how much of a lie that was. Granted, Amy studied and did well on her classes because she thought it was important to do well in college and she liked to learn new things. But procrastination was something Amy did almost on a daily basis, for a few hours a day.

The thing is that Amy hasn’t really been up to watching anything lately, because sitting around watching movies can be a very dangerous thing when you’re trying not to think of someone. It started one day when, for no apparent reason, Amy thought it was a good idea to watch ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’. It started pretty well, nothing much, just pretty much default Amy thinking Kate Hudson is really hot and all that. And then she began to wonder if Karma liked that movie. And if the couple in the movie were _them,_ would Amy be Matthew McConaughey or would Karma? She settled with Karma, because she really hated that guy. That day ended up with Amy being a mess on the couch, crying to Matt McConaughey and Adam Sandler’s lousy acting. So she decided to stay away from romantic comedies and Netflix altogether. She dare not speak of this day to anyone. When Liam arrived home from whatever joy cruise he had been with Karma that day, he noticed her eyes were all puffy. When he asked about it, Amy dismissed it, saying she was just watching ‘Marley  & Me’ again.

“Amy, come on, what’s her name?” Shane’s voice now was warmer and he looked at her with worry in his eyes, so she decided to come clean.

“Okay. I might have a crush.” Amy begun, testing the ground, watching Shane’s eyes getting brighter by the minute and the knowing smirk on his face getting progressively larger.

“Good for you, boo!” He said with excitement.

“No.” Amy said and watched all his excitement disappear from his face, “It’s not good for me. It’s bad for me.”

“Oh?” He tilted his head like a confused puppy.

“Okay. So remember that day we were talking about me taking the reins of my life and putting myself out there?”

Shane nodded.

“Right. Well, I went to get some coffee and I met a girl. And I have been avoiding her since.”

“I don’t get it…”

“Alright, so you know how Liam and I were gathering boxes for some new girl that was moving out from campus?” Amy asked and Shane nodded again, “Okay. It’s the same girl.”

“Oh.” Shane said and remained quiet, Amy just gave him a moment for him to realize the bit of information she just told him. Understanding lighted up his face for a brief second, before it was replaced by a frown. “Oh! Liam likes that girl, right?”

“Yeah. Liam likes the girl. And… And I think I, too, like the girl.”

“Oh, Amy…”

“It’s okay. I’m dealing with it. I’m… taking action so as to not let this interfere with our friendship.”

“How exactly so?”

“I’ve been avoiding her, for one thing.” Shane huffed at her, “Excuse me, that’s a good thing to do to prevent myself from going even further into this crush. Isn’t it?”

“It’s a coping mechanism, I guess. Do you feel different? Do you like her less? Have you been thinking about her less?”

“Define ‘liking her less’.” Amy winced and Shane threw his arms up in despair. “What do you want me to do, Shane? I’m trying really hard, okay! I bury myself under tons of biology articles, I stopped going to the coffee shop I usually went to, because she goes there frequently, even though it’s really close to my building and I have to cross the whole campus to get to another coffee shop, but I do it. I am really trying. But she always creeps up in my mind, you know? And this campus is big, but it’s not exactly so big that I don’t run into her quite often. It doesn’t help that she always seems to dim the color of everything that isn’t her, and everything else is just dull, blurry background. It doesn’t help that she’s pretty much sunshine and smiles all the time. And also how she’s completely nice to random people. And let alone whenever she lays down on the grass to study and the sun reflects on her hair and her eyes become this really intense hazel, okay?” Amy breathed but she still wasn’t finished, “And it doesn’t help her name is Karma. I never even believed in karma but I’m pretty sure she’s mine.”

Shane just sat in silence, too taken aback to formulate a quick response. “Wow, Amy… That’s, that’s a lot.”

“I know.”

“I think you’re trying hard.” Shane reached out and held her hand that was resting on top of the table, he gently smiled at her and just that gesture alone made her feel a little better. “But we can’t help the people we’re going to fall-“

“I’m not falling in love.” Amy interrupted, abhorring that thought. “I don’t even know her that well. She could be a horrible person. She isn’t even into girls.”

“Okay. We can’t help the people we are going to feel affectionate to.”

“What do I do, Shane?” Her voice cracked when she said his name. She couldn’t help it, she was feeling so vulnerable. She had been pining after Karma all this time and she tried so hard not to. Everything just felt like a huge failure. And she couldn’t betray Liam like that. What would he say? What would he even do? Being the incredible person Amy knew he was, he would mostly just step aside and let her be. That’s why Amy wanted to let him be with Karma so bad. Because he was a better person than she was.

“You clearly like this Karma person. And she’s very lucky she’s got your attention. And Liam’s. You’re both great people. You’re like, siblings. The honest thing to do is just to talk to him, Amy. Make him realize you know her, and that you’re starting to have feelings for her.”

“I can’t do that. What’s your other suggestion?”

Shane squeezed her hand lightly, “The other suggestion would just to be letting go. Go after what you want. If it’s Karma, then be it. The heart wants what the heart wants. Test the waters with her, see where you can go with her, see how comfortable you feel around her. Maybe this is merely platonic, and when you get to actually know her, you’ll see that there’s something of a hamartia that will make you realize you don’t like her so much, not romantically, at least. And then you can step away and let Liam and her be together. But at least you’ll have the clear conscience to know you’ve tried.”

As soon as Shane said it, Amy’s heart pounded with hope. That’s all she wanted to do. She wanted to introduce Karma to all the places she loved, she wanted to really get to know Karma. Not in the knowing where she grew up kind of way, but the real things. The things Karma would only trust to people she held in the highest esteem. Amy wanted to be that person. But that would be incredibly wrong and disloyal to Liam.

“I don’t even think she’s into girls.” Amy said again, because that was still the only thing that kept coming up when she searched for reasons to not do what she wanted.

“How do you know?”

“Because she likes Liam back!”

“Really? Are you serious right now?” Shane raised an eyebrow in disbelief, “Have you ever heard the word ‘bisexual’? It means that one can be attracted to genders that are not only the opposite of yours. That’s really biphobic of you.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be. But usually when you meet someone who’s into guys, you jump to the conclusion that they are straight.”

“Yeah, but you shouldn’t. I mean, you _never_ know, Amy. That’s the point. When you met her, were you guys just friendly or were you stepping into flirting territory?”

“I think we might have flirted a little.” Amy said, honestly.

“There you go!” Shane stopped grabbing her hand and lightly tapped on the table, “Talk to her! Stop that creepy secret admirer thing. You got game, Amy. You are the hottest lesbian I know.”

“You know what, like, two lesbians?”

“I know a bunch of them, okay. Most are in my thespian group.” Amy laughed at Shane’s stupid joke, “Besides, Liam and Karma are just hooking up, right? They are not into any kind of serious commitment right now, are they? He just keeps talking about her with you, and to me he’s just crushing. If it were something serious, you would be the first person to know.”

“I guess.” Amy looked down at her book and then up at Shane. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” A smile began to sprout on her face.

“Aren’t I always?” He said, opening his arms.

“Don’t be a jerk.” Amy threw a pen at him and he made a noise of mock outrage, Amy just got up to her feet to hug him and kissed him on the cheek, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d probably be a very sad little person.” He smiled.

“You’ve just ruined it.” She stopped hugging him and messed his carefully composed hair causing him to protest. Amy grabbed her stuff from the table, “I’ll catch up with you later! Thanks for the advice!” She said as she turned away and left for class.

 

* * *

 

The classes went terribly slow that day, but Amy felt good. She had finally figured out what she was going to do. She was going to come clean to Liam. She was nervous about it, yes, but it was the right thing to do. It was up to them to talk about it and figure it out.

As soon as Amy set her feet in her apartment, she scented something delicious in the air. Instantly, she knew Liam was cooking, and she was very appreciative of that.

“Hey, I’m home!” She said, announcing her arrival.

Liam came from the kitchen, sloppily drying his hands on the apron he was wearing.

“Hey,” He met her with a fist bump. “How was your day?”

“Good. I had a bit of an epiphany today. With Shane’s help.”

“That’s great. Can’t wait to hear it.” Liam said and stood in the same place for a bit. Amy knew something was off about this. The look on his face denounced him. He was dying to tell Amy something.

“What? Spit it out before I’m eighty-five, will you?”

“Okay. We’re not alone.” He said and waited for Amy’s reaction. When it came up blank, Liam winked at her and smiled sheepishly. “Wait here.”

Liam went back into the kitchen to get something, and Amy waited in the same place she had been since she arrived. She put her bag and books down, and finally took a look at her surroundings. Smudged between two cushions on the sofa, was a patterned rucksack. The minute she saw it, she knew it didn’t belong to Liam. Because Liam was the last human being in the face of the Earth that carried a satchel with him. And she knew whom that rucksack belonged to. She had seen it around campus way too much to not know it.

Amy’s stomach dropped. This wasn’t supposed to be happening today. Not when she was going to finally come clean to Liam.

“Amy,” Liam said, waiting for her to look up, she stopped glaring at the rucksack and turned to see Liam, with his arms around someone’s shoulders. _Karma’s_ shoulders. “This is Karma.” He introduced her and smiled like a kid that just found ten dollars on the sidewalk and spent it all on candy. He was expecting her to say something, but instead she froze, looking at the girl who had inhabited her mind in the last few days, right in front of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey friends! a shorter capter today, but the next one is longer. i hope you liked to read it and come back for the next one. alright, that's all by now. and as always, i'm captainclarkes on tumblr. byeeeee!


	3. Chapter 3

Karma looked incredible. Amy’s heart weighed inside her ribcage. If Karma was thrown off by knowing Amy – if she even remembered Amy – she did not show it. Her arm was slowly laced around Liam’s waist, and her expression was a mix of excitement and anxiousness, that Amy suspected had to do with her approval. Amy didn’t have to approve anything. She wanted Liam to be happy, and she wanted Karma to be happy. So them being together settled both things.

But that didn’t keep her chest from hurting, or her eyes taking in Karma’s, and after that her lips, and how she was wearing something different and lovely, like she always did. Amy forced a smile.

“Hey.” She waved at Karma. She wasn’t sure if Karma was going to tell Liam they already met, but she thought best to not lie to him. “I- uh, we met already, actually.”

“Oh, you did?” Liam’s nervousness dissipated completely.

Karma smiled, “Yeah, we did. I kinda spilled coffee on Amy’s shirt, and she was kind enough not to be mad at me. She also helped me find my way around campus.”

“Oh, since you know each other, everything’s already settled then. I invited her over to have dinner with us today. I made your favorite sauce, Amy, bolognese.” Amy was concentrating in little gestures such as nodding and smiling. “This is really great.” The happiness in Liam’s voice was the last straw.

_Suck it up, Raudenfeld. Be the bigger person. Your best friend deserves the best._ She thought to herself. So with that reassurance, she stopped acting like a creep and put a good face on. “This is _great_.” She echoed him, and smiled at both of them. A real smile, this time.

* * *

They dined together. All the three of them. Liam and Karma kept talking about all the things they had done together, while Amy listened and pleasantly chatted about it with them. She was polite and funny and she was pretty sure Liam and Karma were having a great time. And all the while the three of them ate pasta and drank some wine, Liam threw her these grateful looks, which Amy dismissed. Because if he knew how she felt deep down, he would probably feel guilty forever.

After the dinner was over, and the dessert was over – Liam had bought chocolate chip cookie dough Häagen-Dazs, also a favorite of Amy’s – Karma promptly stood up and recoiled the plates.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that, Karma. I can handle the dishes. I mean, you guys made this awesome diner, at least I can help with something.” Amy said, standing up from where she was sitting.

“It’s alright. I got it.” Karma shrugged.

“Well, at least let me help a little.” Amy said and Karma nodded with a smile. “Liam, you got the table?”

Liam nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’ll put everything away.”

With that, Karma and Amy followed to the kitchen and started doing the dishes. Amy washed them while Karma dried. The work was effortless and Karma hummed along as she did it. Amy was just focusing on _not focusing_ on Karma. Or the fantastic way Karma smelled. It was a mix of strawberry shampoo and something on the edge of citric, and also cinnamon. Karma smelled like a dessert herself. And Amy had to stop, because this was the opposite of not focusing on Karma.

“Hey stranger,” Karma said, bumping her hip lightly on Amy’s, making her blush instantly, “So did you quit college?”

“Uh, I, no?” Amy cursed herself for running her mouth, “I didn’t quit. I am there every day.”

Karma smiled at her, making Amy almost combust. Because in her daydreams, Amy already wanted this. She wanted this domesticity, this routine with someone. And why not with Karma? _Because you don’t do that to your best friend, that’s why._ “It’s just that you’ve been awol.” Karma said, shrugging.

“It’s uh, I just been having a hard time at Developmental Neurobiology, that’s all. I’ve been pretty much studying it all the time.”

“Sounds hard.” Karma said, “So that’s what you do? You course biology.”

“Yeah.” Amy nodded, happy to talk about something she wasn’t pretending to like or be interested about, just genuinely happy with her choices of course. “I am a Developmental Genetics student. How about you? Physics, right?”

Karma’s smile enlarged by the minute, and Amy was pretty sure that smile was the thing that lighted up the room they found themselves in. “You remembered. Close, though. But no cigar.”

“What is it then?”

“Astrophysics.” Karma admitted and it was Amy’s turn to smile. Karma slightly blushed. “I bet you think I’m a nerd now.”

“Are you kidding? That’s so cool, Karma! Of course I think you’re a nerd. But I don’t see a problem with that. And it’s really really cool that you study this. I always had some fascination over that field.”

“You gotta be the first person who’s told me that.” Amy watched Karma smiling quietly, imagining the girl was just happy about Amy’s excitement. That felt good, actually. Both of them just talking about their courses, both of them not trying to hide how strongly they felt about the path they had chosen to follow. It’s really hard to find people who won’t judge anything. Amy was glad Karma was one of those people. “Developmental Genetics. So are you planning to clone Tatiana Maslany anytime soon?”

“Shhh!” Amy shushed Karma in a playful way, and Karma let a laugh escape her lips. The sound of Karma’s laugh was music to Amy’s ears. And she just wanted to make Karma produce more of that. “That’s top secret.”

“Okay. Fine. Don’t kill me.” Karma winked at Amy. And that was a hundred ways of illegal, she was pretty sure. “But seriously, I thought you were super pissed at me because I spilled my coffee on you and decided to never talk to me again.” She bit her lip, and Amy knew she felt self-conscious. Karma wasn’t a perfect person, Amy knew she had weaknesses and she guessed a big one was her insecurity. It’s nothing like Amy never dealt with that herself before.

“Of course not!” Amy reassured her.

“Good.” Karma’s doubtful expression was replaced for the cheery attitude she constantly had, “So this means we can still go around town and you can take me to your favorite places?”

“Yeah,” Amy smiled, “Absolutely.”

“It’s a deal, then.” Karma dried one of her hands on the dishcloth and extend it to Amy, who took it.

“It’s a deal.”

“What’s a deal?” Liam’s head popped on the porch and he entered the kitchen.

“Oh, I’m taking Karma around town so she can get to know it.” Amy said.

“That’s great!” Liam grinned. He approached Karma and gave her a peck on the lips, and Amy tried not to feel uncomfortable with the PDA. She didn’t have a problem with PDA. She just rather be a part of it with Karma. “I’m sure you’ll have a great time.”

“Oh, yeah.” Amy said, opening the fridge and pulling out a water bottle, “We can watch drug deals go down.”

Karma seemed confused but Liam just shook his head. “Just take her to the Central Park, please.”

“What?! You’re telling me you _never_ took her to Central Park? You live in New York for what? About two months? And you never went to Central Park?” Karma shook her head. “You had one job, Liam. I’m sure he took you to Chelsea Market, am I right?”

Karma nodded.

“You are so predictable.” Amy narrowed her eyes with mock disapproval on her face, which just made Karma snort.

“Okay, fine, Raudenfeld. It’s on. Let’s see who the best tour guide is.”

 “You’re on, Booker.”

They spent more minutes just pushing each other’s buttons, like they normally would, and Karma blended in really well. Sometimes she teased Liam, other times she teased Amy. Until Karma looked down at her watch and said it was time to go. Liam would go with her, because she lived across the bridge in Bushwick. To that piece of information, Amy made a comment about the hipsters that lived there, to which Karma replied living in Greenwich Village doesn’t exactly scream mainstream. And if possible, Amy was even more charmed in that moment.

They left, and Amy stood around, took a shower and mostly got herself ready to go to bed. When she was finished, she sat on the couch and turned on the TV in time to catch the 11 p.m. news report while she finished the cookie dough ice cream leftovers. Liam arrived shortly after that, sat by her side and put his feet up on the center piece.

“Were you raised at a barn?” Amy threw at him.

“Were you?” Liam answered and pointed to Amy’s feet, on top of their center table.

“I’m barefoot.”

“That isn’t an answer.” Liam pointed out, but put his feet down anyway. They spent a moment just watching the news, until Liam turned to her with a serious expression. “Thank you, Amy.”

Amy turned her face to look at him, and was surprised by the sincerity in his eyes. She staggered for a moment, spoon still in her mouth, “What did I do?”

“You know…” Liam scratched his head, “For being so nice to Karma.”

Couldn’t she catch a break?

“I’m just saying, it’s really nice of you to make her a part of our friendship.” Liam continued.

“Why not? I mean, she’s pretty cool. She’s friend material.”

“Not for me.” Liam said and the playful tone was there again, he could hardly bite back his smirk.

“Why?”

“Because for me, she’s _girlfriend_ material. That’s why I brought her over to meet you. I couldn’t ask her to be my girlfriend without her ever meeting my best friend. If she didn’t get along with you, it would be hard, but I would just straight up abort the whole plan,” Liam paused. “I needed your approval. And once I got it, I just, well, I just talked to her. Asked if she wanted to be my girlfriend.”

Amy knew what was coming, but she had to ask. “What did she say?”

“She said yes.” Liam said in such a triumphant tone that even Amy had to smile.

“Congratulations, dude. You’re growing up! You have a real girlfriend now. Not just one night stands. Achievements, hell yeah.” Amy high-fived him. She was completely torn apart inside. If Amy was on the fence whether or not Karma was all that and if she even liked her, after spending time with her, she knew she was definitely crushing. And she knew this whole thing was definitely _crashing_ if she didn’t keep her mouth shut and her feelings to herself.

Liam rested his head on Amy’s shoulder, while she patted his back. “She’s something else, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, buddy,” Amy sighed. “She is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, now the updates mondays and wednesdays are a thing. also, i hope you have enjoyed reading the chapter bc awkward dinners are always awesome. and like i said before, there's gonna be a ton of pining in this story, so i hope you like that. the next chapter is bigger and will include a lot more Karma/Amy interaction without Liam in the mix. so let's see how that goes ;) byeeeeee!


	4. Chapter 4

_“So,”_ Shane stretched the word the longest he could, _“Any news you want to share with the class?”_

“Oh, yes.” Amy put her cellphone on the speaker and posted it on the bed, while she picked out some clothes, “Apparently Pluto is making a comeback as a planet.”

_“Amy, I love you, but you have to stop with these quips. They’re not funny, boo.”_

“I think they are.” Amy said, honestly offended a little bit. “You’re no fun. Alright, I’ll tell you.” She exhaled. “I was going to come clean to Liam last night, you know, expose what was really happening. But I couldn’t do that.”

_“Why not?”_

“Because we had people over for dinner. And by people, I mean Karma.”

_“Oh, Amy…”_

“No, it’s okay, Shane.” Amy said, shrugging, and then she remembering he couldn’t actually see her. She pulled out some jeans and a t-shirt out of her closet. “Just never mind. Karma and I can be friends. In fact, we’re making progress.” She sighed, “I mean, you just have to see how happy she makes Liam.”

_“And in light of Liam’s happiness_ you’re _going to be unhappy? What is that logic?”_

“What I want doesn’t matter, Shane!”

_“Okay. There’s no need to yell. But I don’t know, Amy. It doesn’t bode well with me. I think you’re going in a path that’s really lonely, and possibly is going to make you suffer unnecessarily.”_

“It’s not like there’s only Karma. The world has seven billion people in it, Shane. I’m sure I’ll find someone.” Amy said just so Shane could stop saying exactly what she already knew.

_“Alright, if you say so…”_ Shane trailed off, _“Hey! How about we catch a movie today?”_

“Uh, no can do.” Amy stripped off her shirt and sweats and changed into the clothes she had picked, “I actually have this thing. I said I would show Karma around the town.”

_“Isn’t Liam supposed to do that? Aren’t they getting to boyfriend-girlfriend area already?”_

“They got there. As of yesterday. But this has nothing to do with it. We just made a bet about whom Karma would prefer as her tour city guide.”

_“Amy, Amy, Amy. I think you’re getting into a mess that’s gonna swallow you up.”_

“It’s gonna be fun!” Amy dismissed him, “And you’re ruining the fun with this negativity. I’m gonna hang up now. I have to go. Byeee!”

* * *

 

Amy had agreed to meet Karma at Grand Central, and then they would take a walk up to the place Amy wanted to take her.

Karma got off the subway and as soon as she saw Amy she waved excitedly. When Amy met her, she wasn’t sure what the usual protocol for this was, but Karma didn’t overthink it. She pulled Amy in a quick hug. It was enough so that Amy could feel her general warmth and the cinnamon scent that Amy just guessed emanated from Karma constantly. Maybe it was a perfume, or an oil. Amy wasn’t too fond of cinnamon other than in her cereal, but she really liked the light scent she got off from Karma. It was soothing for some reason.

“So are you ready to choose your favorite tour guide? Because it’s obviously me. Liam is really cliché about those things.”

Karma smiled, “Sometimes cliché is nice.”

“Sometimes, I guess.”

“What’s that?” Karma asked, pointing to the paper bag Amy had with her.

“Oh, this is for me to know. And for you to find out later.” Amy winked, “I hope you’re at least mildly hungry?”

“Yep. I am.” Karma nodded.

“Good. Then my instincts are still good. Come on, let’s get going.”

* * *

“I thought the whole point of this was to take me to the less mainstream places?” Karma said, biting back a laugh.

“Hey! What’s wrong with here?” Amy asked, opening her arms to the little building complex with a monstrous Prometheus statue on the patio.

“It’s Rockefeller Center, Amy. _Everyone_ knows this place. Even I know there’s where they set up the ice rink on winter.” Karma pointed.

“I find your lack of faith disturbing. By the way, that is the Promenade. There’s a sandwich place over there that makes the greatest sandwiches. It’s called Cosi and the Pesto Chicken Melt sandwich is amazing.” Amy realized she was running her mouth and looked at Karma, who instead of looking at where she was looking over, was staring straight at her. “What? Did I get too excited?”

“No. I mean, you got a little bit?” Karma smirked, “But it’s okay. It’s cool, actually. I can see you really like it here, and that you know your food. I value that in a person. Also, you’re very cute when you get excited about something.” Karma said casually, and Amy pretended not to be melting inside, or that she didn’t blush with the compliment.

“Relax, though, I’m not going to take you to Top of The Rock. You’ll have time to do that with Liam on his tours. I bet it’s in his itinerary.” Amy said, “Come on, over here.”

Amy led Karma away from the patio and into The British Empire building. They got a lift up to the other floor and stopped at a maintenance door, only allowed to staff. Amy knocked on it. “Hey, Joey, it’s Amy.” She announced.

A middle aged balding man opened the door. “Sorry for taking so long. You must be Karma.” He nodded towards the girl and gave her a polite smile, “Nice to meet you. I usually only let Amy do this, but she wanted to win a bet and surprise a friend, and as long as I can help…” Karma wasn’t following much of what was really going on, but Amy was smiling the whole time, she couldn’t wait to see if Karma would like what she had planned out for them.

“Follow me, guys.” Joey led them into the staff room, and up to a series of stairs. Karma was thoroughly intrigued, she seemed to like the whole backstage thing. “Okay, here we are.” Joey picked a key from his pocket and stuck it in a door lock. He opened it, and Amy stepped out first, gesturing for Karma to follow her.

“Thank you, Joey. You’re the best.” Amy patted him on the shoulder, “Brought something for you, dude.” She gave him one of the paper bags she was holding.

“You got it.” Joey winked, “Just, don’t get caught. And if you do, you know what to do…”

“I found the door unlocked.” Amy completed.

“That’s right, kid. Have fun.”

Joey left them alone, and Amy turned to look at Karma, who was incredibly silent since they got here.

She was with her back turned to Amy, just staring at all the open, green space. She had taken Karma to one of Rockefeller Center’s secret gardens. Karma just seemed to be taking the whole atmosphere in. Whatever she expected, this had surprised her. Amy hoped it would be a surprise she would like.

Amy herself came here every now and then, whenever Joey knew there would be less personnel working, thus less chance of her getting busted. She loved it here. And when she thought of a place she wanted to share with Karma, to make her feel welcome, make her feel home, well, this place popped into her mind. The beauty of it all was overwhelming even to Amy’s already accustomed eyes. The beautiful roses, the short, fresh cut grass, the benches in the shade. It was an oasis. It was Amy’s oasis. And now she finally shared it with someone else.

Karma’s delay was starting to make Amy nervous now. Maybe Karma didn’t like this at all. Or worse, maybe Karma had figured out Amy’s feelings towards her. She hoped it wouldn’t be the latter.

When Karma turned to face her, her face was a blissful mask. Relief settled in Amy.

“Amy,” Karma said, and her voice got so low when she was serious, Amy noticed, “this is amazing.”

“Do you really think?” Amy smiled sheepishly.

“Are you kidding? This is beautiful, Amy. It’s straight out of a fairy tale. I have never been to a place as beautiful as this one. And trust me, I’m not lying to you because I love this place, even it being a rooftop and I’m scared of heights.” Karma observed.

“I’m sorry. I-I should have asked you that before bringing you here. If you want we can go or…” Amy winced, gesturing towards the door and feeling really dumb, but Karma just dismissed the suggestion with a hand gesture.

“It’s alright, Amy.” She grinned. “I just have to stay far from the ledge. That’s the real scary part for me. Besides, you’re here with me, so I have no reason to be afraid, right?”

Amy’s heart filled with warmth when the girl said that, she smiled sheepishly. “Yeah. Of course not.”

Karma walked around a little, touching the flowers and seeming to enjoy the little nature niche in the middle of a concrete jungle. “What’s your favorite?” She asked, looking back at Amy.

“Flower?” Amy thought a little bit, “I like lilies. And you?”

“I’m a simple person. I love tulips. Colorful ones.” Karma shrugged and sat down on a bench located between two flowerbeds. Unknowingly, she had picked Amy’s favorite spot. Karma tapped the bench, signaling for Amy to sit.

Amy obeyed and sat down beside her. Both just stood quiet for a moment, reveling in the fresh breeze and the pleasant weather.

“Wow, I really love it here.” Karma said after a while, “How do you even get here in the first place?”

“Well… Perks of being friends with the staff, I guess. Joey worked at NYU last semester in the biology department, and we became friends. When I knew he got this gig, I asked him about the secret gardens – there are five of them, and you can only see it from the observatory deck, and you can only be here if you are Angelina Jolie famous – and he asked me if I wanted to trespass one. And I said yes.”

“What a rule breaker! I never expected you to be one, Raudenfeld.” Karma said, but the delight was clear in her voice. She bumped her shoulder on Amy’s, making the other girl smile.

“It’s a one in a lifetime opportunity. I mean, just being able to see this from up close. I had to do it.”

“I don’t blame you.”

Suddenly, Amy remembered the paper bag on her hand. “Oh! Here you go. I thought you should have one of these. I hope you’re still hungry.”

“Oooh, what’s this?” Karma asked, hands spreading the bag apart.

“It’s Shake Shack. You probably have Shake Shack where you lived. So, it’s almost like your home, I guess.”

“Actually, I never had one. I have heard of it, but when I moved the shop wasn’t opened yet, so…”

“Even better, in this case! I brought two options because I don’t know if you’re vegan, so I brought a veggie burger and a regular one.”

“That’s really thoughtful of you. I’ll have the regular one.”

“Okay, just remember me to stuff the veggie one to Liam. He loves it.” Amy said, grabbing a burger from the bag and handing it to Karma, and then grabbing her own.

Amy waited as Karma took her first bite. Her expression was pure delight and she even let out this little moan that made Amy dizzy.

“Amy,” She said, still chewing, “this is fantastic. Oh, my God.”

“I know.” Now Amy took a bite out of her own.

Luckily enough, no one appeared while they were having their little burger picnic on the garden. When they were finished, Karma let out a happy sigh, which Amy totally understood. In your life, you have some really good days where things just happen in a good way to you, or you wake up feeling totally okay with the world and with yourself, but you don’t always remember those days. But the days that you remember fondly, the days you want to go back in time to relive, are the days where you just are in peace. With everything. And you feel blessed because you’re able to see all these incredible things, and you give value to them. But what really makes it especial, is to have someone who you can share that day with. Is to know that you, collectively, were able to just exist in this tiny window of peace, and in the middle of ordinary, you were lucky enough to be a part of extraordinary.

She didn’t know if Karma thought that, but she hoped she understood that.

“Has Liam been here, in this place?” Karma asked, absent-mindedly.

“No.” Amy answered, “No one has, really. Well, with me, at least. I haven’t been here with anyone before.” She admitted.

Karma stared at Amy for a long second, and just smiled, “So this is _not_ where you take all your romantic conquests?” Amy tried not to think too much of the question’s content.

“Surprisingly enough, it isn’t.” Amy shrugged.

“I am kind of disappointed.”

“Shut up.” Amy punched her arm lightly, and Karma punched her back.

“What?”

“Don’t ruin the moment.” Amy closed her eyes for a little bit.

But it was too late. Someone was shouting at them, from another rooftop. A guard.

“Hey! HEY! DO YOU HAVE A PERMIT TO BE THERE?” Amy was in utter shock, in the lack of response, the guard assumed they didn’t, “YOU ARE TRESPASSING! YOU ARE GOING TO JAIL!” The guard shouted and ran off the other rooftop and into the building, it wasn’t too far off to realize he was about to run into the one they were in.

“Amy! I think we gotta go now.” Karma said, urgently.

“Agreed.” They got up and instantly started to sprint off, Amy carrying the burger bag in tow. She locked the door up and put it back on the place she always left it for Joey. Once they got out of the staff quarters, two guards were already in position to arrest them. People looked everywhere, confused as to what was causing the whole shenanigans.

“Over here!” Karma grabbed Amy’s hand and tugged it, leading them to the stairs. They ran the fastest they could, until they were out of the building. But just to be sure, they continued to run a little, until they were almost reaching Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Amy stopped to catch her breath once she saw no one was coming after them. Karma was doing the same.

“Never” Karma started, panting “in my life I thought I would get out of Austin, Texas to be a criminal in New York.”

Amy stared at Karma and burst out laughing, and the other girl joined her. After they controlled themselves, Amy realized they still were holding hands. She liked that. She liked that Karma’s fingers fit perfectly in between the space of her own.

“Amy, as fun and as thrilling today was, I think I have to go. There’s a ton of articles waiting for me back home.” Karma frowned, and Amy could her how sincere and sorry she sounded she had to leave. Amy hadn’t realized, but the sun was beginning to set, and just then she realized how much time she spent with Karma that day. It all went by really fast.

“Okay.” Amy nodded, “Yeah, sure. Anything you want me to tell Liam?”

“Oh, no. I’ll see him later today, we’re gonna go out to eat.” Karma bit her lip, “But you can tell him he’s gonna have a hard time topping your tour guide skills.”

Amy grinned.

“Alright. I really have to go now.” Karma said and gave Amy another hug, this time it was longer, friendlier. Karma stood in front of Amy, still, dwelling on whether she should say something or not, their hands still entwined. “Hey, Amy.”

“Yeah?”

“I had a wonderful time today.” Karma said, sincerity sparkling in her hazel eyes. “Thank you. So much. There are no words to tell you how much I enjoyed this. It was really special, and it’s been one of my favorite days for sure.”

“Really?” Amy raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Top 5, I’d say.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Amy smiled.

“It was a great place to be with a great person.” Amy’s heart swelled when she heard it. “What day should I expect another tour?”

“Oh, whenever you’re free. It’s a privilege, really.” Amy shrugged.

“Right. I look forward to that. Bye, Amy.” Their hands parted and Karma slowly began to walk away, not before flashing Amy another smile. Amy watched her disappear amongst the sea of people.

“Goodbye, Karma.” Amy sighed happily and began to make her way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here i am, friends. with a brand new chapter for you. i hope you liked this one, and stick around for the next one. ALSO, quick disclaimer: i do not live in New York, and everything i know about it is mostly me researching stuff and visiting places when i went there last year, so i do not know much, and i just tried my best to ambiance this as naturally as i could. and the rooftop gardens in Rockefeller Center exist but if you try to trespass you'll certainly end up in jail, so don't do that!! don't let Amy be a bad influence on you hahahaha. okay, that's it for now, i guess. until the next update! byeeeeeee.


	5. Chapter 5

Amy dreamt of Karma the next day. And that’s when she knew she got it _bad_. It was an innocent dream, nothing to be too guilty about. As long as dreaming about your best friend’s girlfriend goes. They were at the rooftop again, but this time, something had changed between them, Amy felt. They were closer, more comfortable with each other, like they were dating. And Amy was just completely at peace.

But good dreams don’t last as long as we want them to.

“Rise and shine, Raudenfeld!” Liam said from the door, and Amy grumbled in response.

“What time is it?” She managed to say.

“9:30” Liam said, and Amy opened her eyes, the clarity in the room bugging the hell out of them.

“What did I say about waking me up, Booker?”

“I was supposed to let you sleep until September ends?” Liam suggested, his head now peaking inside the room from the door.

“Very funny.” Amy said, while she let out a yawn. “Why are you waking me up so early?”

“I didn’t. Shane did. He’s in the living room and he didn’t want to wake up the beast, so I did.” Liam shrugged and threw a thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the living room.

“Wait up. It’s Sunday morning and you’re not in sweats? Are you going out with Karma now?” She scrutinized her best friend with attention. Liam was fully functional, wearing jeans and a Henley shirt, his brown hair tousled carefully. He had even shaved, only leaving his usual sideburns.

Liam nodded. “I’m taking her to see Lady Liberty today.”

“And the cliché sightings continue.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a negative Nancy. Be a positive Petunia, how about that? Everyone has to visit the statue of Liberty if they are living in New York. At least once.”

“I suppose.” Amy shrugged and sat up straight.

“Good. Okay, I’m gonna get going. We agreed to have breakfast together.” Liam winked, “You want any souvenirs?”

“Yes. I want that 3D puzzle they sell on the store.”

“Noted.” Liam said and disappeared from the door, and Amy could hear him talking to Shane while she changed from her pajamas and brush her teeth. She never saw it coming, but the two boys hit it off quickly and became friends. Not as close as she and Shane or she and Liam were. But they hung out together sometimes, and it was nice.

She walked to the living room, where she found Shane dressed like he was about to go to a photoshoot. It wasn’t unusual. “Oh, damn. Did I forget we were supposed to do that Vogue editorial _today_?! I hope they don’t mind me wearing a polyester blend.”

Shane smiled at her fondly, “Does anyone actually find your jokes witty?”

“You used to.” She retorted, playfully glaring at him. “What you up to?”

“I thought we could have some breakfast together, what do you say? I feel like we haven’t talked that much last week because you were obviously overcompensating with studying.” Amy raised an eyebrow in a skeptic gesture. “And I really want to hear about your day with K-bomb yesterday.” He admitted, trying to hide his curiosity and his little knowing grin.

“We can have breakfast under one condition.” She said and lifted her index finger. “As long as you stop calling Karma ‘K-bomb’.”

“Fine.” Shane rolled his eyes. “I was just trying to be cryptic. Let’s get going. It’s a beautiful Sunday morning out there.”

Amy nodded and they left the apartment.

Five minutes later, they sat down on one of the outside tables of a bakeshop they used to go just on the corner of the street Amy lived. After their orders were taken, Shane took his sunglasses off and stared at Amy. “I’m waiting.” He said patiently.

“Fine. Okay, so everything started that day when she came over for dinner. We were talking about her adaptation to the city so far, and she told me Liam had taken her to some places already. Such as Times Square and Empire State, and Liam’s personal favorite: Chelsea Market. And I told him that his tour guide game was weak as hell, so he proposed a bet. We will go out with Karma three times, and she’ll decide who’s better in this business.”

“You’re better.” Shane replied instantly. “I have practically lived in New York my whole life, and you come here, living here for a year and a half, and takes me to places I never knew even existed around the town.”

The waiter came bringing their orders, “Thank you. And yeah, Liam knows that, I just think he wants Karma to have a good time, really. She’s been living here all by herself, and she’s away from her family, it’s kinda hard.” Amy said while she spread cream cheese in her bagel.

“You’re away from your family.”

“I’m away from my _mom_.” Amy shrugged. “It’s not that I don’t love her, obviously I do, it’s just that it’s refreshing not having someone telling you that you look like a hobo _every_ day. It's not like you do that.” Amy threw a crumble of bread at him.

“I would never!” Shane replied in mock outrage, a malicious glint in his dark eyes. “You dress fantastic. Very butch couture. I approve. So what did you do, then?”

Amy swallowed a mouthful of bagel, “We went to Rockefeller Center, and there’s this friend of mine who works there and he let us in one of the rooftop gardens.”

“Shut up.” Shane was amused and threw a napkin at her, “Shut up, Raudenfeld! That’s awesome.”

She shrugged again like it wasn’t a big deal, “I did it before. I go there every once in a while, it’s probably my favorite place in the city. Apart from Crif Dogs.”

“Crif Dogs _is_ amazing.” Shane agreed, “But how was her reaction, what did you do?”

“She really liked it? I mean, I could see it in her eyes that she did. And that’s really cool because I was afraid that if I took someone there they would just say it’s pretty and that’s that, but it’s a really important place for me. So it was nice that she got that, and that she felt the same way. We had lunch, we talked a lot about a lot of stuff. A guard saw us and came to our arrest but we were faster, and then we just said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.” As she finished her story, she ate the final bite of her bagel.

“That sounds incredible.” Shane grinned, resting his chin on the heel of his hand, “And also very romantic. Are you really sure this girl is totally oblivious and didn’t see your enormous crush?”

“I’m pretty sure.” Amy sighed, “And it isn’t romantic. I mean, it is. But only if you want it to be. It’s just a place that’s very beautiful and peaceful and is kept away from not VIP’s like you and I.”

“Where are you planning to take her next?”

“I was thinking something she can visit whenever she wants, as opposed to the first place I took her. It was a thrill, but I’m done with law breaking for the month. So I was thinking Brooklyn.”

“Good thinking.” Shane was reclined in his chair, arms up in the air as he stretched. “But you’re not the only one who’s got a crush.”

Amy felt the smirk spreading on her face, “You?” Shane nodded. “Tell me everything.”

And Shane did.

* * *

Waiting to hang out with Karma for their sightseeing was torture, but she got through the middle of the week just fine. It was uneventful and Amy and Netflix still didn’t get to peacemaking, but it was okay. She was helping Shane out with his new crush – an adorable boy named Ashton, and it seemed like he was finally getting somewhere, as opposed to her.

Since Karma felt like a part of the group, and it was great that she felt included, she felt more comfortable with spending time at their place. Sometimes she arrived before Liam did, and Amy was the only person there, so they talked about stuff: college, TV, you know, the casual subjects. And Amy loved this familiarity she now associated with Karma. Sometimes, Amy arrived after Liam got home, and Karma was already there. And they didn’t talk that much those days, but it was still good having Karma around. It was whenever the PDA started that Amy had to recoil to her room, because she hated feeling like the third wheel.

But on Thursday, Karma brought an overnight bag. There was instantly no illusion about as to why she did, she was going to sleep there, and sleep with Liam, in whichever sense of that word. And of course Amy guessed the worst scenario she could imagine. Of course it wasn’t her right to feel like this, but she felt jealous. It didn’t bother her Karma spent the night over, it bothered Amy that it wasn’t with _her_. She felt like an asshole thinking this, but it was the true. She was jealous of Karma, and she kept asking herself why she didn’t meet Karma first. It would all have been different. She still didn’t know if Karma was bisexual or not, but the point was that if Amy had met Karma before Liam, and had Amy told him about that, he wouldn’t overstep. But Amy couldn’t say the same.

Amy wanted Karma to be there, in her house, for her. Amy wanted to go out with Karma and show her all these places she loved, and wanted to be able to hold Karma’s hand throughout the whole thing. She wanted to kiss Karma, and she wanted to cuddle with her and share all these intimate things with her. And she wanted to not have to pretend she wasn’t looking at Karma’s lips all the time, wondering what they felt like on hers. Amy wanted Karma.

But Amy didn’t want to ruin her friendship with Liam.

So she just reprimanded herself and went to sleep before her mind could work out even worse scenarios. She ignored the sharp painful tug on her heart when she thought of Liam and Karma, and finally got to rest a little. On Saturday, they would go out, just Karma and her, and that brought Amy comfort. She didn’t need to do all these things, because just spending time alone with Karma was enough. 

* * *

 

Saturday, Amy felt so much better. She had an extra class in the morning, but only knowing that she would be able to show Karma another place she held dearly was enough to make Amy endure all the boring biology that sometimes popped up. She loved her course to bits, but sometimes, some really boring topics came around, like pretty much every other course.

When the class was done, Amy practically skipped her way to the subway, crossing over to Brooklyn. This time, Karma was waiting for her. When the girl saw Amy, her face lit up completely, which made the blonde’s heart beat faster.

“You’re in my side of town, Raudenfeld.” Karma bragged but threw an arm over Amy, and to Amy’s surprise, she kissed her on the cheek. Amy blushed and smiled sheepishly at the contact. Karma’s lips imprinted on her cheek long after they left.

“Your side of town?” Amy raised an ironic eyebrow, “I’m sorry, who’s the guide here?”

“Let’s go. Just take me anywhere.” Karma said with a smile and an intensity that filled Amy with song. The little friendship they had been growing between them was really getting into a stage where they just felt comfortable around each other now. And if in the first weeks of Karma frequenting their apartment, Amy had to struggle on how to act and how to make conversation in a way that wasn’t prying or in a way that wasn’t denouncing Amy’s feelings, now they didn’t have to do it anymore. The politeness was fading away, and the trust was beginning to surface. And Amy loved it to shreds.

“As you wish.” Amy replied.

They took another subway to get to their destination. When they finally got there, Karma already seemed to be buzzing with excitement. Due to her response to Amy taking her to a garden on a rooftop, she wanted Karma to spend time at the Botanic Garden in Brooklyn. Mostly, she wanted to show Karma the Japanese Pond, a little segment of the garden, but one that Amy absolutely loved, because to her it seemed like it was taken out of an expressionism painting.

“If your plan of taking me on city sights is just to introduce me to these incredible outdoor places, I’m totally for it.” Karma declared. “You win. Liam can take me to the most intricate, hidden gem he can find, but you win. Look at this place.” She gestured towards the green space filled with flowerbeds and trees of all shapes and sizes and types of different flowers with people quietly sitting underneath, or taking a walk. It was just so comfortable being there.

“This still isn’t the exact place I want to take you.” Amy pointed out.

“I hope the place where you do want to take me doesn’t involve law-breaking.” Karma joked.

“It will certainly involve murder if you don’t stop quipping at me, the Quip Master.”

“Good try, Raudenfeld. We know there’s space for only one Quip Master here, and I’m it.” Karma pointed at her with both thumbs. It was so cute and silly Amy smiled like an idiot.

“You’re such a nerd. Come on, before I turn 115 years-old.” She snorted and tugged at Karma’s hand.

They took a walk until the Japanese Pond, and to Amy’s surprise but pleasure, Karma entwined their fingers together once again, and didn’t let go. Having Karma’s hand sided with hers was such a simple gesture that brought her so much joy. It was a small thing, and yet it meant a great deal to Amy. Only the fact that this girl that she didn’t know if she even was straight or not, held her hand with no strings attached, just because it felt good. The fact that Karma felt good in Amy’s company, the fact that she wanted other people to see that they were together. In whatever sense of the word.

“Here.” Amy said and they found the little bridge that stood above the pond, where they got a straight view of the red Japanese arc. They sat down. “So, what do you think?”

“You’re kidding me? It’s awesome. I had never seen a field of cherry blossoms before. It’s pretty as fuck.” Karma said and Amy laughed at the sudden obscenity. It was one thing she already figured out about Karma. Whenever something was too cute for her to handle, she got mildly obscene vocabulary all of a sudden. Amy found it really endearing. “Whoops, you got a cherry flower petal on your hair, I got it.” Karma approached until her face was inches away from Amy’s. She picked the petal out of Amy’s hair, but stared at Amy’s eyes for a moment.

“Amy.” Karma said, and the other girl never liked the sound of her name better. “Tell me something about you. Something that even Liam doesn’t know.”

It caught Amy off guard. She was pretty sure Liam knew everything about her but one thing – how she felt about Karma. And she wasn’t going to pick that to tell the girl. And then Amy remembered something, pondered if it was way too personal to tell Karma, but decided she should tell her anyway.

“Has Liam uh, have you asked Liam about my family?” Amy started, holding Karma’s gaze.

“He told me you don’t get along with your mom too much.” Karma commented, unjudging.

“Yeah, but other than that. Did he mention anything about my dad?” Karma shook her head. “Okay. My dad, you see, wasn’t really cut out to be a dad. One day he decided it was too much for him and just decided to bail.”

“I’m sorry, A-“

“No, no. It’s okay. Anyway, some Sunday mornings we would usually go out and we would buy Pokémon trading cards and he would take me out to the playground and spend the afternoon with me. We talked about my problems in elementary school, and he would tell me these stories of when he was my age. It was a good moment, you know?” Karma nodded. “It’s a moment I miss. I miss the stories, and I miss having this bond. It wasn’t always that he did this. But the few times that he did, those were good days. It’s amazing how even the people that disappoint us have the power to make us remember them fondly. It’s not all bad. And that’s… That’s good. Do I even make sense?”

“Yeah, you do.” Karma smiled. “Basically everyone can surprise you. You did that to me. I didn’t think that you weren’t going to be nice, I just never expected you to be _this_. Amazing, I mean. I never truly had someone like you in my life. Sometimes you’re so silly and sometimes you have these observations that fill me with admiration. I was surprised. Mostly because you wanted to be my friend.”

Amy was shocked with Karma’s compliments. She didn’t know the girl thought of her so highly, and it was moving. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re extraordinary, Karma.” Amy squeezed the other girl’s hand. “Okay. Now it’s your turn. Tell me something you never told anyone.”

“Right. I never had a best friend. Not even when I was a kid and things were as simple as nap time goes. I just never felt a connection that deep I guess.”

“Sometimes the person you’re dating is your best friend. Sometimes your parents.”

“I know, but it’s like, I never had a Liam in my life. Like you do, you know? He knows everything about you, from your top 5 movies to your allergies. He knows you, the good and the bad and the ugly – which in your case, I don’t think it exists. But you know, that kind of bond. And I didn’t have this with anyone in my family, or the people I’ve dated before. Anyway, I guess I can have that now. With you.”

Amy was really touched by what Karma had said. To be in Karma’s life was a privilege. To be in a position that Karma held in such high esteem was even more prestigious. And just to know that Karma thought of her, not in the same way she did about Karma, yes, but just to know that she spared the time to think about her made her heart swell with joy.

“It’s crazy because I have known you for three months – and I really only got to know you better now, in this past month. But I look at this place and I feel at home, and there’s no one else I’d rather be here with.” Karma confessed in all honesty.

Amy beamed, “Thank you, Karma. That’s… I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else either. Not even Liam. But don’t tell him that.”

Karma crossed her heart and pretended to lock her mouth up.

“If we’re really going to go to the end of this friendship thing, you should know I’m allergic to peanut butter.” Amy said and Karma let out a hearty laugh. She rested her head on Amy’s shoulder. And Amy tried to bite back the smile that was bubbling under the surface.

“When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark.” Amy continued. “Well, not afraid, but anxious.”

“Okay.” Karma nodded and Amy could feel the vibration on her shoulder.

“Anyway, I couldn’t even sleep with the lights out, not even if I slept with them on, and my mom went to my room later and shut them off. That’s how bad it was. Until one day, when in science class as a reward for a pop quiz, I got this really cool poster of the Andromeda Constellation. I asked my mom to tape it to my ceiling, so that at night, whenever I looked up, I would see the stars. And I wasn’t anxious anymore.”

“Andromeda is my favorite constellation.”

“It isn’t mine. Mine is Ursa Major, but I wanted to tell you this because you know, you’re an astrophysics student, and I know a lot of people don’t appreciate that area. But you should know that I do.”

“Thanks. That’s very nice of you. I get close to nothing about genetics, but I know it’s awesome. Anyway, I chose astrophysics because I find it comforting that even the smallest, furthest beings can emit light that fascinates someone. I like to think it applies to people. You know, like someone might look at you and see this beautiful being and be fascinated by that, and you’ll have at least one person who’s in complete awe of your existence.”

Amy thought about that for a second. She had expected Karma to be smart. She had seen Karma’s books, she knew astrophysics required a lot of logical thinking and calculations and understanding of the laws of physics, but she didn’t expect Karma to be so observer and sensible. She was crushing even more on Karma in that moment. And she allowed herself to.

Due to Amy’s silence, Karma snorted. “Did I just make a total fool of myself?”

“No.” Amy replied, quietly. “You’re just, you’re really smart. But not in an academic way, I mean, that too. But you’re… Wise, I guess.”

“Of the many words anyone ever used to describe me, wise wasn’t one of them.” Karma grinned.

“Well, it is now.” Amy smiled back at her.

The two girls spent a lot of time like this, hands entwined and Karma’s head resting on Amy’s shoulder while they talked just about everything. Karma told Amy she had an older brother named Zen and that he was very far from home, volunteering at Peace Corps, which Amy thought it was really cool. She also told Amy that her parents ran a juice truck business, and that they were really chill but really hippie, which bothered Karma a little. Amy replied by saying she also didn’t get along with her mother too well and she thought it was just a natural thing. Sometimes people expect you to be something completely different from who you are, but in the end, being your true self will make you happier and they’ll come around. She told Karma about her coming out experience, when her mother practically had a full on freak out, and Liam was basically Amy’s rock, because she knew that he would be there to back her up and offer her a safe place. They just talked, no restrictions, and joked and laughed at each other’s silly childhood stories. And Amy knew instantly that their relationship had become so much more cemented that time.

And the more she knew Karma, she wanted her to be even a bigger part of her life. Because as it turns out, Amy genuinely liked Karma’s company. Not just because she had a crush on the girl, but because she was just good. She was a good person through and through and Amy felt better just to be in her presence. There aren’t many people who will accept you without restrictions, but Karma did. Everything about her was so open and honest, and Amy found that incredible.

Finally, night was falling in Brooklyn and they decided it was time to call it a day. Amy accompanied Karma to the little building she lived in. It was a little patched up from the outside, but it was pretty much any Bushwick regular construction.

Karma stopped at the door, keys in hands and bit her lip while she decided on something as Amy climbed the front door’s steps behind her. She turned around to face Amy and released her lower lip. Amy, reflexively, looked down at Karma’s lips, and immediately darted her eyes away from them.

“Do you want to go up?” Karma asked. “There’s Doritos and a TV.”

Amy grinned. “That sounds like a great time.” She grabbed her cellphone and looked at the time. “I think I’m gonna have to leave it to a next time, though. It’s getting late.”

Karma nodded but still stood there, staring at Amy. Amy felt on fire under her gaze, there was just so many things about Karma she appreciated in that moment. The way her hair fell in soft curls past her shoulders, and the contours of her lips, her nose, and the hazel eyes, under the indirect lighting from the dusk sky and a street pole.

“Okay.” Karma started again, suddenly seeming aware of this little stare-off they had and blushing. “Next time, then, Raudenfeld.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Amy replied, bowing her head. “Are you guys going out tonight?”

“Oh, no. I have reports to do for class, so I’m only seeing Liam tomorrow.”

Amy was a little thrown off by that. “Oh, okay. See you tomorrow then.”

“Sure.” Karma smiled. This still didn’t seem like goodbye. If anyone who didn’t know them passed on the sidewalk that moment, they would think they were one of those couples that never say goodbye for real on the phone, and just keeps telling the other to hang up. And Amy had to do something, because she wanted so bad to go up to Karma’s place and hang out with her there, and she was sure that Liam wouldn’t mind, but it seemed wrong. It seemed wrong because Karma and Liam had no idea about how Amy felt. And that was unfair to them, which felt wrong in Amy’s gut, because had they known about Amy’s feelings, they wouldn’t approach this whole thing the way they were doing right now.

So Amy did the right thing, instead of the thing she wanted to do. She hugged Karma, it was friendly, but it lingered for longer than their previous hugs. And when Amy broke contact, her cheek softly brushed on Karma’s, electricity traversing her whole, and Karma still stared at her eyes, a smile on her lips. And Karma wouldn’t stop looking amazing, and Amy’s resolve was growing weaker by the minute.

“Okay. So I really got to go now.” Amy said, apologetically, “Today was a blast.”

Karma nodded in agreement. “It really was. Liam will have a hard time topping this. Thanks again, Amy. I look forward to the next one.”

Amy nodded, and watched Karma turn around, unlock the door, and get into the building. When she was in, Amy turned her back on the building and left, making her way back to her apartment.

* * *

“Dude,” Liam said, plopping on the couch by her side, beer in hand and joystick on the other. “I’m never gonna win this thing.”

“Street Fighter?” Amy asked, gesturing over to the TV, swallowing a handful of popcorn. “You sure ain’t, I’m kicking your ass so bad, my friend.”

“I don’t mean Street Fighter. Anyone can beat me in Street Fighter.” Liam shrugged, reaching for the popcorn, grabbing a bunch and throwing it in his mouth. “I’m talking about this tour guide thing.”

“I warned you.”

“Yes, but I thought I was going to win because you know, seeing as Karma’s _my_ girlfriend.”

“She’s being fair!” Amy whined, throwing a popcorn at Liam, to what he replied something along the lines of ‘don’t waste popcorn, it’s still food’ and Amy laughed.

“I know she’s being fair. I didn’t expect it.” He grinned, his brown eyes shining with amusement.

“Shucks, Liam. You got a girlfriend with integrity, that’s gotta be bad.” Amy mocked.

“Only sometimes, when I am trying so hard to make her like my places better than the ones you pick, but you _always_ one up me.” Liam complained.

“Gee, it’s really hard not to. You took her to the most predictable places. Anything she gets that isn’t that will fascinate her, of course.”

“Yeah, but I try to show her something and she’s talking about you and she goes on about how you knew someone at fucking Rockefeller center and they put you in one of the rooftop gardens? Shit, Amy, I didn’t even know you could do that.”

Amy smiled just for the fact that she knew she was Karma’s mind, even when she was in the middle of spending time with Liam. “I had connections.”

“It’s really hard to top rooftop gardens and law-breaking, all in the same day.” Liam complained.

“Okay, you big cry baby. You want to have a shot? Take her somewhere she’ll have _fun_ , Liam. Take her to fucking Coney Island or something like that.”

Liam thought on it for a second. “Yeah. You’re right. Coney Island seems like a good idea. But I’m pretty sure she’ll continue to go on whatever it is that you did today.”

“We went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden today.” Amy said, shrugging, like it wasn’t something big but in her heart she knew that it had been huge. At least for them.

“Fucking… Botanic Garden? Why didn’t I come up with that before? It’s great. It’s a beautiful and quiet place.” Liam face slapped himself and took a swig of the beer he was holding. “You know what?” He said, swallowing the beer, “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were trying to woo Karma.”

Amy froze, not sure if Liam was joking or not, and then she gave an incredulous laugh to throw him off. “Liam, I know better than to seduce my best buddy’s girl.” She didn’t, but Liam didn’t need to know that.

“I know, Raudenfeld.” Liam tapped her shoulder. “I know it. I trust you.”

Amy grimaced when Liam said that. The fact that he trusted her so much that he wouldn’t even _fathom_ the possibility of Amy ever going for Karma was even more proof that if she did do that, she would completely ruin her friendship with him. Not to mention she was in great danger of losing this new bond that she recently formed with Karma.

“I’m gonna take a shower and then crash, I’ve got to go to Coney Island tomorrow.” Liam raised from the couch, gave Amy a wink, and waddled towards the bathroom.

She knew full and well that her crush on Karma was getting all levels of serious, and she couldn’t stop. At night, when she lay awake on her bed, she would imagine what Karma was doing that moment. Granted, the girl would be sleeping, but Amy just wanted to _know_. She wanted to be the person that Karma last talked before she went to sleep, and the first person she called when she got up in the morning. She wanted all of the clichés. She wanted to kiss Karma in every single cliché spot in New York, because she wanted to have a moment of them in her memory for every place in the city. Truth was, Amy loved this place, but everything was getting shades of grey to her eyes lately, and suddenly this girl comes in, rocks her world and splashes color in her life. And now that she had seen just a bit of how her world with Karma was like, she would never go back willingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends! i have a brand new chapter for you and i hope you liked it! this one is slightly bigger than the previous. as Amy and Karma's friendship grows, the interaction between them will increase and so will, you know, Amy's sexual frustration. so i hope you stick around for that. the next chapter will come out on wednesday. see ya! byeeeeee.


	6. Chapter 6

Amy was taking some side notes while she observed a project for her Immunology class, when she felt her cellphone vibrate on her pocket. Zoning out of what she was doing, she blew a strand of hair away from her face, and her hand dived in her pocket to retrieve the phone. She guessed it would be Shane, texting her all about how Ashton was dressed today and how he looked super cute, or something like that. Her surprise was genuine when she looked at the visor and saw ‘Karma’ on the screen. Her mouth slowly spread in a smile.

 **‘hey.’** That was all it said, so Amy typed a reply quickly.

_‘Hi. What’s up?’_

**‘are you busy right now? ‘cause I could stop texting or’**

_‘I was just doing a thing. It isn’t important. Just looking over some blades and running through notes.’_

**‘sounds really unimportant :p do you wanna meet me on break and grab something to eat?’**

Amy’s smile got even larger. It wasn’t that she didn’t talk to Karma while they were on campus, she did when she occasionally met Karma. But her department was a few buildings away, so they rarely met. Only when Amy had to go to the labs in the Physics building. Or when Karma had to use the lab in the Biology building. Anyway, the only two ways they would meet was this one, or when Amy casually grabbed coffee at the coffee shop where they met. And they would say hi to each other and occasionally talk, but it was never too much time. They would meet for five minutes and that’s that. Shane didn’t even get to meet Karma yet. And speaking of him, shit, Amy totally forgot they were supposed to meet for lunch. Except she didn’t want to blow Karma off, or Shane. So the next logical thing was to introduce one to the other.

 _‘I would love that’_ She typed. _‘Can I bring a friend, though? He’s really cool. I promise you’ll like him.’_

Karma’s reply came only a few seconds later. **‘yeah! sure. don’t worry about that, if he’s your friend he’s probably awesome as well. i have a break from 1 till 4 p.m. would that work out for you?’**

_‘Great! I have a break on noon till 3. I’ll meet you at the cafeteria?’_

**‘it’s a deal :) you can go back to your nerdy stuff now.’**

_‘Says the other nerd.’_

When Amy put her phone away, she was in danger of splitting her face in half, because she had been smiling the whole way through that conversation – or textversation – whatever. She had to meet Shane and tell him they were going to have lunch with Karma. He would probably be so excited he would shoot fireworks through his earholes.

Just after the class was over, she made her way to the English building, where Shane would probably have finished his Intermediate Poetry class. One step of many of their friendship was that they knew each other’s schedules backwards. It was part of the plan that they would use every moment they got off classes to just waste time together. Amy couldn’t complain, it was a great plan.

As she approached, she saw Shane talking to this really cute boy, and by the way Shane was throwing looks at him, she could tell the boy was Ashton. He was shorter than Shane, blonde and dressed smart – much like Shane. Shane turned around and spotted her, waving and she waved back. He turned to Ashton and have the boy an affectionate squeeze on his shoulder and traded a few words, then Shane made his way towards her.

“Should I queue ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ now or?” Amy joked once he reached her.

“Shut up.” Shane shoulder bumped her lightly, but he had a sly smile on his lips. “He was asking me out on a date.”

“And your foolproof methods are confirmed yet again. How do you even do that?”

Shane laced their arms together and began to escort her to the cafeteria. “It’s a talent. I can teach you later. Though I’m not sure if it will be foolproof on lesbians.” He wondered, doubtful.

“I’ll take my chances. Oh, and speaking of chances, Karma’s joining us for lunch today, is that okay with you?”

Shane opened his mouth in a gesture of mock outrage. “How dare you?” He laughed. “Of course it’s alright, silly. I wanna see what the fuss is about.” He gushed excitedly.

“Had a feeling you might say that.” She grimaced.

“How was your date- I mean, your tour guide thing with her this weekend?”

“It was…” Amy scrambled her brain for the right word, “Incredible. Really. She’s such a great person, Shane.”

“I believe you. You’re practically swooning as you speak.” He gestured towards her and sighed. "I really think you got it bad, Amy.”

Amy imitated him and sighed profoundly. “I know. But I can’t help it.”

“I just – Are you sure you’re not gonna get hurt? There’s still a possibility that Karma and Liam are going to work and even if they don’t, the bi card still isn’t on the table, as far as we know.”

“I can’t be sure I’m not gonna get hurt, Shane. For fuck’s sake.” She rolled her eyes. “But I would get even more hurt if I completely cut her off my life. I _really_ like her, Shane. I think I’m falling in love with her.” Amy confessed in a low-voice.

Shane stopped and turned face to face with Amy. “Is it that bad?” She nodded. “Okay, wow. Alright. No matter what, I’m here for you okay? However this ends. You can always count on me. We’re gonna sort this thing out, don’t worry.” He caressed her arm in a comforting way. Once she nodded, they resumed their walk.

“I’m definitely dying to meet this girl, though.” He said, and Amy shoved him jokingly.

They finally got to the cafeteria, it was five minutes past one. Amy looked around expectantly through the crowd, searching for the one face she wanted to see. And granted, she found it. Karma waved at them.

“Oh, my God. I get it now.” Shane told her when he got a glimpse of Karma. “I _totally_ get it now.” And Amy gazed at him with an ‘I-told-you-so’ look.

Karma pointed down at the table, gesturing for them to sit, the most delightful smile on her face, and instantly, Amy felt better. They made their way and when they got to the table, Karma stood up, hugging Amy for a little and then she moved on to Shane. Amy introduced them, and Karma shook his hand. Once they were all introduced and settled, a waitress came and took their order.

A moment of awkwardness passed through them, none of them being sure of what to say to get conversation started. But this was Shane Harvey, and Shane Harvey knew how to make conversation, if he knew one thing.

“Amy told me you’ve just moved in.” He begun and Karma nodded.

“Yeah. I lived here on the campus shortly, and as soon as I found a decent place to live that didn’t cost my internal organs, I moved out.” Karma replied. “But I’m actually from Austin, Texas.”

“That’s a coincidence!” Shane said with a smirk, “Amy here is from Texas herself.”

“Oh, yeah, I know. Dallas, right?” Karma asked and Amy nodded. “The conversation has come up with Liam and he told me he was from Dallas, and since Amy and Liam are childhood friends, I assumed.” She smiled softly at Amy, her hazel eyes full of warmth and Amy couldn’t help – didn’t want to help - smiling back. She felt pretty much useless and dumb for not saying anything and letting Shane and Karma on their devices to make conversation.

“So, Karma, what do you study?” Shane asked and rested his chin on both his hands, reveling in the wonderful presence that was Karma.

“Astrophysics.” She and Amy said in unison. And Karma’s smile enlarged, while Shane just shot Amy a look that basically asked her if she could be more obvious. He smirked mischievously at the blonde girl and Amy blushed a little, all of a sudden turning her focus to a ketchup bottle in front of her.

“That’s awesome. You must be really smart.”

“Ehh, I don’t know about that,” Karma scratched the nape of her neck. “What do you study?”

“English.” He said and Karma’s face lit up.

“I, um, I actually told Amy the other day that if I hadn’t chosen to take Astrophysics I would definitely take English.” She gestured to Amy for confirmation and Amy nodded with a little too much enthusiasm.

“She did say that.” Amy complemented.

“She _speaks_!” Karma’s mouth fell open in mock surprise and Shane actually chuckled. “I was starting to wonder if you were having a stroke.”

Amy laughed weakly, but Karma moved her hand on top of the table to squeeze Amy’s in a reassuring gesture, and that made so much of her anxiety go away. Shane didn’t miss Karma’s move. He stared at Amy cryptically, lifting an eyebrow so high in his forehead Amy thought it would join his hairline, and then turned his attention to Karma.

They spent some time talking about Karma’s adaptation to the city, and the girl stressed quite a few times what a great tour guide and company Amy had been to her, and whenever she said something that they did that Shane considered coupley, Shane would throw looks at Amy or reply with ‘Did she now?’. They lunched and it was pleasant, and Amy started to act like a normal person as opposed to her earlier behavior. Like she had predicted, Shane and Karma got along easily. At one time they even started to point out things that Amy did and compare it, and when Shane said something that Karma could’ve poked fun at, the girl just smiled and said it was really endearing for her. Amy felt like she was definitely beginning to make a transition into a puddle, and she would gladly be a puddle if that meant Karma would be complimenting her like that.

“Ops,” Karma said at one point, looking at her cellphone and Amy assumed it was Liam. “I have to answer this really quickly, sorry.” Karma excused herself from the table and walked out of the cafeteria, pressing the phone to her ear.

That was just what Shane needed.

“This girl is the actual kindest person I’ve ever met.” Shane gushed, completely taken aback.

“I know.” Amy agreed.

“I get it why you’re in love with her. Besides being, you know, fine as hell and having the perfect voice, she’s delightful, Amy. _Delightful_. And you know I rarely use delightful to describe anything. Let alone a person.”

“She’s great, I know. I told you so.” Amy retorted, she knew that even though Shane was saying all these nice things about Karma that were true, the way he was speaking was as if he wished she was a horrible person. “Why are you so grim, then?”

“Because I get why you’re in love with Karma. And I also get why Liam is in love with Karma. And Liam,” Shane massaged his forehead. “Isn’t exactly the person that falls for people like that. He doesn’t do coupley. He is pretty much a no strings attached kind of guy.”

“You’re preaching to the choir.”

“So you know that if he’s fallen for her and he’s doing these things, he’s got it as bad as you.”

Amy knew that. Amy knew that in her core. And now that Shane had told her out loud she couldn’t still deny it. Not only it would destroy their friendship, it would also completely break Liam’s heart. They had been falling for Karma for weeks. And Liam had been so swift about all of this, he was being sweet about all of this, taking the time out of his day to talk to Karma, to hang out with her. He should do that, Amy reckoned, after all, Karma deserved the best and Amy wasn’t having it if Liam chose to be his douche self like he usually did with girls. But she had seen it since its inception. Liam had a big school girl crush on Karma and it wasn’t going away anytime soon.

“I’m really fucked, aren’t I?”

“You are.” Shane sighed. “And I’m so sorry for you. But can I ask you something?”

Amy nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell her? In the beginning, why didn’t you go to her and invited her out?”

“Because Liam had babbled about her before.”

“So what, Amy? She’s not land, she doesn’t belong to him because he _saw_ her first or whatever twisted logic you had in your train of thought.”

“Of course she doesn’t belong to him.”

“Then why didn’t you put the cards on the table and let her choose? She’s a big girl, she would know how to make decisions.”

“I know but it felt like _I_ was backstabbing him. Because she didn’t know, but I did.”

“Gosh, Amy. Sometimes you’re really stupid, you know that?” Shane exhaled. “You can’t decide things for other people, you have to let them make their own choices.”

Amy knew that everything Shane was saying was the truth, but she couldn’t help herself. She was the person that would suffer in silence if that meant no one she loved got hurt. She maybe had a hero complex, she didn’t know. She just sure as hell couldn’t handle being the reason why Liam could be miserable.

“Whatever. I’m still not going to tell Karma-“

“Tell Karma what?” Amy heard a voice coming from behind her as Karma reclaimed her seat. “Apparently my mom found a litter of kittens in our backyard and she wanted to tell me she named each one after incense stick scents.”

“Tell you where we’re going… The tour thing.” Amy lied, quick to her feet and Shane gave Karma a weak smile.

“Oh, yeah. We’re almost at the end of it, isn’t it?” Karma asked.

“Yep. This week is the last one. It’s almost time to pick the winner.”

“It is. It makes me sad, though. I am having a blast going to all of these great places with you guys.”

“We could always continue going.” Amy suggested and Shane nodded. “I mean, there are always new things to do here, or old things but things you haven’t done yet. Did you have fun with Liam on Sunday?”

“I had a really good time.” Karma replied. “We went to Coney Island. He won me a plush panda. I named it Taylor Momsen.” She shrugged.

Amy and Shane laughed out loud over the panda’s name. “That’s a really great name.” Amy said, still laughing.

Shane looked at his cellphone. “Girls, the chat is really great, but it’s almost three. Shouldn’t you be going to class?” He asked Amy.

“Is it almost three already?!” Amy had completely forgotten about the time. “Shit! Yeah. Sorry, Karma, I really need to get going. I have a test.”

Karma dismissed Amy’s apology and stood up, “Don’t worry. We continue this another time, then?”

Amy grinned. “Yeah. Sure.” She said softly.

The girls hugged, and Karma hugged Shane, and they were out of the cafeteria pretty soon, but not before Amy took a last glance to Karma and the girl mouthed ‘Good luck’ to her.

Amy aced the test. It was one of the classes that she had a poorly development, and that to Amy meant being on average, but it still bugged her. She was on the way back to her house, and stopped in one of these Ice Cream Trucks to buy an ice cream sandwich when her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and the visor was blinking with ‘Karma’, Amy smirked and answered the phone.

“Hey! What’s u-“

“Amy?” Karma interrupted, sounding a little off. “I need your help.” Amy was startled by Karma’s sudden urgency.

“Where are you?” Amy’s heart was racing.

“I’m home. Please come as fast as you can, please.”

“Okay. I’m gonna get there as soon as I can.” Amy hung up the phone and practically stormed off to the subway.

* * *

It took Amy fifteen minutes to get to Karma’s apartment. In those fifteen minutes, Amy couldn’t stop picturing what was going on. Her fantasies ran from Karma having been robbed to aliens invading Brooklyn. She just wanted to make sure Karma was safe.

When Amy was at the door, she called Karma and was worried when the girl didn’t pick up the phone until the third ring. “Amy.” She sounded relieved.

“I’m downstairs.” Amy asked and looked up at the windows of the building, searching for Karma.  She heard a buzz and tested the door, it was open. “Okay, I’m going up.” She said, “What number is it?”

“102.”

“Hang in there.” Amy replied and hung up, she stormed up the stairs, climbing two steps at a time. She got to apartment 102 and looked at the floor. Outside of the door, the water was already spreading. When she opened it, a flush of water invaded the hallway.

“Karma!” She called and entered the apartment. “What the fuck went down?”

Karma appeared from another chamber, stacking pans up to her shoulder.

“A pipe broke down.” Karma explained, her cheeks flushed with the effort she was making, her hair sticking with sweat on her forehead. But still, needless to say, she was still the most gorgeous person Amy had ever seen.

“Shit.” Amy stated, rolling up her jeans and going towards Karma, helping her with the pans. “Have you called a plumber, yet?”

“Not yet. I am trying to get the stuff out of water’s way.” Karma huffed.

Amy looked around. The water was getting up to Amy’s calves. Karma’s apartment had few furniture, and there were still some things on boxes on the table, fortunately enough, whatever was in the boxes was saved from the water damage.

“Where’s the fuse box?” Amy asked.

“I already turned off the electronics.”

“Okay. Good.” Amy stared around, “What needs to be moved?”

“I think I saved a good part of everything that could be damaged. You know, apart from the furniture. Can you just help me with all this water?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Amy said, bending down and filling a pan up with water. Karma did the same. They took turns emptying the living room and the kitchen, and throwing the water down the drains. They worked in silence but efficiently, however, there was still a lot of water.

At one point, while Amy was draining the place, she lost her balance and fell full on her butt, splashing water around. “Fuck!” She said, rubbing her back. “Great. This is great.”

“Are you okay?” Karma asked and when Amy nodded, she started laughing.

“Ha. Very funny. Yes, by all means laugh at the girl that’s come to your rescue and now has to go all the way back home with her ass all wet.”

“I’m sorry.” Karma controlled herself, but there were still tears running down her face. “I’m sorry. Here.” She approached and stretched out her arm, offering Amy her hand so she could pull Amy up. But instead, Amy got an idea. She took Karma’s hand, and instead of pulling herself up, she pulled Karma down.

Karma let out a little protest before landing flatly on her bottom beside Amy. “Ouch.” The girl looked at Amy with a hurt expression on her face, and Amy started giggling. “Not fair.” Karma splashed Amy on her face.

“Oh, no, you didn’t!” Amy splashed Karma in retaliation, and they spent a good time doing that. Instead now their clothes were a total wet disaster. The girls were a giggling mess, until they finally decided to get up and resume their work.

When everything was done and their clothes were less wet, they sat on the recently dried ground of Karma’s floor. “You closed the water register, right?”

“Duh.” Karma said, while she plopped herself down by Amy’s side.

Amy nodded and took her phone from her pocket and called a contact. She talked for about ten minutes and then hung up.

“It’s all cool. A plumber will come in the morning. I told them it wasn’t an emergency. Unless you want me to call them back and tell them so.”

“No, it’s okay, I think I can handle it until morning.”

“You’ll be without water, though. If you want to crash at our place today…” Amy shrugged, leaving the suggestion in the air.

“Yeah.” Karma replied. “I mean, I would like to take a shower and get out of these wet clothes.”

“Okay.” Amy agreed. “I’ll wait as you pack up a bag.”

Karma took five minutes to set up an overnight bag. “Okay, I think I have everything I need here.”

She had been sleeping in their house with a little more frequency now, it wasn’t most of the days of the week. And Amy was relieved by that. Every morning she met with Karma in the kitchen she acted like a total idiot, too caught up in Karma’s unconscious beauty to make up conversation. She needed some mind preparation before she ran into Karma. It usually was just that ‘you’re an independent woman’ kind of thing. Still, when she met Karma before she ran through her routine, she froze.

They made their way back to Amy’s place, both still wet, receiving curious looks from people in the way.

“Home sweet home.” Amy said as she opened the door. Liam hadn’t got home yet. And then she remembered he had this exhibition going on the whole day today. That’s probably why Karma called her, Liam couldn’t drop everything and go to Karma’s rescue. But had it been the other way around, Amy would gladly drop everything to help Karma out. As long as Karma was safe, everything else could be in second plan.

“Hey,” Amy begun, “You should probably change off these wet clothes. Did you bring PJ’s?”

Karma looked inside her bag and let out a grumble. “Fuck. I knew I was forgetting something.”

“Don’t worry, dude. I got you.” Amy tapped her shoulder in reassurance. “Just go take a shower and I’ll get you a towel and some clothes.”

“Right.” Karma nodded and smiled. “What about you?”

“My room is a suite. Don’t worry. You can use Liam’s.” Amy suggested.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll go to the common bathroom.” Karma replied while Amy threw her a fuzzy towel.

“Okay, you can go in, I’m gonna search my closet for something for you to wear and then I’m gonna leave it on top of my bed, okay?”

“Sure.” Karma agreed and entered the bathroom. Amy walked up to her suite and turned on the shower, stripped of her clothes and let out a moan when the hot water hit her back. Only now she realized what a toll had been emptying Karma’s apartment from all that water.

Amy ended the shower rather quickly, feeling all better now that she was fresh out of the bath and smelled great and had clean comfy clothes to wear. She stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped up on her head, and was caught off guard by the sight of Karma wrapped up in a towel. Amy bumped her feet on her book shelf and Karma turned around, little drops of water running down the tips of her wet hair and making their way down Karma’s shoulders and collarbone. Amy felt a tingling sensation in her stomach and drifted her eyes the other way.

“Shit, sorry.” She apologized.

“It’s okay.” Karma said and smiled.

“I’ll get out so you can change.” Amy was quick to say, already in position to leave the room. She felt her cheeks getting redder by the second.

Karma laughed. “Amy, seriously, it’s okay. I’m not naked. Just um, turn around, maybe? I’ll change quickly.” Amy did as Karma said and turned around, facing the wall. She pretended to be really interested in her poster on the wall by her left, and from her peripheral vision she could see Karma’s towel on the floor. Amy gulped and stared fixedly at the wall in front of her. Not wanting to peek and be dishonest. But totally wanting to peek in all honesty. Of course Karma told Amy to turn around because she didn’t want to be weird, but Amy had a hard time to focus on not trying to peek from her peripheral vision when a naked Karma was in the same space as she was.

“Okay.” Karma said, “You can turn around now.”

Amy turned around and still caught a glimpse of Karma’s bare lower back while the shirt fell from her shoulders. Amy flushed hard, her legs menacing to give up, but tried to play it cool. “Um, are these clothes okay?”

“Yeah.” Karma said, facing Amy again, with a smile on her face. “They are slightly bigger than my PJ’s, which makes it better and they smell great.”

“’Kay, good.” Amy smiled sheepishly, liking the way that her sleeping tee was larger on Karma. “So, you wanna do something? We could rent a movie or…”

“A movie would be great.” Karma agreed.

“Okay.” Amy replied, and they sat down on the couch in the living room, while Amy turned on the TV. “You wanna watch something old or something new?”

“New, please. I haven’t seen any movies in so long that I feel like I’m a castaway.”

Amy laughed. “Okay.” She showed Karma the options they had. And Karma picked one that Amy hadn’t seen yet, but knew about the story and she was surprised Karma had picked that one. But without protesting, she bought the movie and they settled themselves in the way they felt comfortable on the couch.

The position they felt comfortable in the couch however, was with Karma leaning on Amy’s shoulder, while Amy threw an arm over the other girl’s shoulder and Karma entwined their hands. Both had their feet up on the center table, and they started watching the movie. It was french, and the beginning was kind of boring, but Amy didn’t care. Sometimes she stole glimpses of Karma watching the movie. The brightness of the TV illuminating Karma’s cheeks and her hazel eyes. To see Karma from so close like that made Amy breathless. This girl was the most gorgeous person she had ever seen. Amy loved everything about her. Her hair, her eyes, the delicate curve of her nose and finally, her lips. Amy was incredibly tempted to kiss those lips and finally taste what they looked like. Every now and then Amy would divide her attention by looking at Karma’s lips and the movie.

If Shane saw them now, he would never let Amy live this down.

A long while and some stolen glances later, the movie was over. Granted, Amy had watched the movie – not with her usual attention to detail – but she understood the plot, and the movie had been depressing as fuck. “Did you like it?” Amy asked, and Karma shrugged then looked up at her. Amy tried to brush off the feeling like they were just a bit far on the edge of too close.

“I liked it. I feel really bad for the girl. It’s really sad.” Karma pouted and it took all of Amy’s resolve to not lean down and kiss Karma’s pout away.

“We should watch something more uplifting.” Amy suggested.

“I fully agree. You pick the movie this time.”

“Right.” Amy settled for a comedy. “Do you want some popcorn?”

“Do you really need to ask?” Karma smiled irresistibly at Amy, and the girl stood up to grab them the snack. Three minutes later, Amy came back from the kitchen with a full bucket. She settled it in the space between her and Karma, but Karma huffed, took the bucket and put it on Amy’s lap. She then scooted closer to Amy, and they resumed their previous positions.

“I’m just really comfortable like this.” Karma said, reaching for a handful of popcorn. Amy just grinned lazily at her, and started the movie. She could get used to it. She could get used to Karma and her cuddling – was it even that they were doing? – and the lazy afternoons that they could spend like this. Comfortably nuzzled on the couch, enjoying each other’s silent company.

“Amy.” Karma called, and Amy gazed at her, waiting. “What are you thinking about?”

That caught the girl off guard. She couldn’t exactly tell Karma whatever she was thinking. So she lied and hoped Karma wouldn’t be able to call it bullshit. “I’m just thinking about this project that I have to do. It’s about development of bacteria in the presence of stimuli.”

Karma nodded, with an impressed expression on her face. “So just the usual stuff?”

Amy laughed. “Shut up. What are you thinking about?”

“Right now?” Amy nodded. “I was thinking about how I never got back at you for making me fall on my ass in a room full of water.”

“And how exactly do you plan on getting back at me?” Amy raised an eyebrow.

She felt Karma’s hands on the sides of her stomach, and she knew what was coming even before Karma actually started doing something. A rush of electricity flowed through her body, and soon enough, Amy was lying on the couch, while Karma was supporting herself on one arm, with her other hand on Amy’s stomach, tickling her.

Amy tried to wiggle her way out of Karma’s grasp, but she was already helplessly laughing and breathless. “I surrender!” She said between puffs. “I surrender.”

Karma stopped tickling and stared down at Amy. “You recognize I am the strongest out of the both of us, buttface?”

“I do.” Amy agreed while she wiped the tears running down her face.

Suddenly, she was very aware that Karma was on top of her, almost straddling her. One leg planted on the side of Amy’s legs and the other resting on the floor. She took in the image of Karma, smiling down at her with a malicious smile, her hair falling in curls on one side of her shoulder, exposing her bare neck. Amy suddenly understood the very serious situation that Karma was in fact, topping her, and she almost died a series of little happy deaths. Karma’s face was getting closer and closer by the minute, and Amy’s eyes began to flutter shut. But Karma stopped, inches away from Amy’s lips. A moment passed through them, but they still didn’t move. And Amy was getting even more conscious of Karma’s weight on top of her, not ever wanting to leave this position.

“Great.” Karma said, and Amy felt her hot, sweet breathe tickling the skin of Amy’s face. “We’re agreed.” Karma chuckled by Amy’s ear, and the girl shivered. And all of a sudden, Karma wasn’t there anymore. She got off Amy and sat down on the cushion. Amy grimaced, but sat up as well.

Karma was a bit flushed but not as much as Amy was. Anyway, Karma’s flush had to do with the effort she made propping herself on only one arm, but Amy’s flush had nothing to do with… Something else. Amy pretended to pay attention to the rest of the movie, but Karma didn’t resume her position and stood with a little more distance from Amy. Occasionally she would hear Karma’s giggles and when Karma looked over at her she nodded, with a weak smile on her face.

A while later Amy heard a noise coming from the door and she imagined it was just Liam.

“Hey.” Liam entered the apartment, looking tired but with a smile on his face. “My favorite girls.” He greeted them. He gave Amy a fist bump, and Karma a peck on the lips. “I’m sorry I couldn’t leave earlier. My teacher was driving me crazy. Did you guys sorted the plumber thing?”

“Amy took care of it.” Karma replied, grinning at Amy with satisfaction.

“All I did was call the plumber. He said he’s gonna have it fixed by tomorrow, but Karma couldn’t open the water register, so you know, she’s gonna spend the night.” Amy completed.

“That’s great.” Liam announced. He plopped on the couch in the space between Amy and Karma, and Amy scooted over so he could sit down properly. He threw an arm over Karma’s shoulder and kissed her with a little more intimacy, which made Amy look away. Shame and guilt clouding her mind. “What are we watching?” He asked.

“I think the name is ‘The To-do List’?” Karma offered.

Liam looked over at Amy that just nodded. She spent a little while with them watching the rest of the movie, they ordered pizzas and when the pizza arrived, Amy excused herself to go eat in her room. Liam knew something was off, and while she was separating slices on a plate, he approached.

“Is everything okay, Amy?” Liam asked in a low voice, with genuine concern.

“Yeah.” Amy lied. “Everything’s peachy. I just have to work on this experiment.” Amy dismissed Liam’s worries.

“Oookay.” Liam retorted, still not sounding convinced. “If there’s anything you’re upset about, you can always talk to me, Ames.”

“Are we breaking out the ‘Ames’?” Amy chuckled dryly. “I didn’t know it was that serious.” She mocked.

“It looks serious.” Liam replied in all honesty, which made Amy feel bad because she was hiding something from him. “Don’t stress. If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay. But if you want to talk, I’m here for you, right?” Liam pinched her nose in a playful way.

“Thanks, dude.” She hugged Liam quickly and made her way out of the kitchen, she smiled at Karma, and the girl smiled back, with that, Amy retreated to her room.

Would these nights have another end if not Amy looking at her bedroom ceiling, feeling like the leftover space in her bed was overwhelming, and wishing Karma would be by her side to make it warmer?

She hoped it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as promised, a wild flirty!Karma appears. hoped you like the new chapter, guys. things are only going to get more intense from here on out! but i promise you it's gonna be really exciting. see you next monday! byeeeee.


	7. Chapter 7

One of the things Amy really liked about living in New York is that the weather is somewhat unpredictable. It could be high in winter, but the sun was shining, or it could be high in summer and it was colder than Iceland. She hated that in the beginning, but since she learned to walk with an umbrella and a good jacket in tow, she appreciated it more now. Of course it could cause the occasional colds in the middle of summer, but Amy was fine with it. Today was one of those days. It was chilly as fuck, and as soon as Amy got out of bed, she felt the coldness of her room, which made her turn on her heels and grab her comforter to shelter herself on the short stride it took from her bed to her bathroom.

Amy thrived enough to make it to NYU and staying up through her first class. She didn’t have the time to buy her usual coffee. So when the class was over and she was about to head to the nearest coffee shop and saw Shane holding two cups of steaming hot coffee, she was almost too happy to handle.

“You are the best.” She said as she made her way up to him and he handed her a cup.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” He smirked while looking at his nails.

“I’m so fucking tired. And sore.” Amy sighed.

“Sore?” Shane’s interest was suddenly on the table. “Does this mean you got laid or are you just taking spinning classes at that gym? If it’s the latter I’m gonna feel betrayed, I _told_ you that if you ever decide to work out, we should take classes together.”

“Shh. Just chill. It’s neither, okay? And I work out.” Shane raised an eyebrow in a skeptic gesture. “Sometimes.” Shane’s eyebrow went even higher up his forehead. “Okay. Rarely. Stop doing the eyebrow thing, it’s freaking me out. Weren’t you in this no coffee diet slash life style?”

Shane swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “I _was_. But coffee is so good and makes the neurotransmitters in my brain do the conga, which feels amazing. So what’s the point?” Amy snorted.  “What are you waiting, Raudenfeld? Tell me the thing.”

“Karma had an emergency yesterday. A pipe broke down and she had a minor flood in her apartment. So I headed over and helped her.” Amy shrugged, drinking a bit of the coffee.

“How long it took for the three of you to empty out the apartment?”

Amy hummed negatively. “The two of us.”

“Liam wasn’t there?”

“He had this art exhibition. It’s his project for one of his classes.”

“Okay. I see. And then what? I don’t believe you just went there, helped her and that was it.”

“You’re right.” Amy pondered. “She had to close the register, so she slept at my place. We just watched a movie, is all.”

“Which movie?” Shane asked, interested.

“What is it with the interrogatory? Jeez. It was this French one, Blue Is the Warmest Color.” Amy replied and Shane almost had a stroke.

“You watched La Vie d’Adèle _together_?” Shane practically squealed. Amy nodded positively. “AMY. HOW DO YOU DO NOT GET IT? YOU. AND KARMA. WATCHED A LESBIAN MOVIE. WITH LESBIAN SEX SCENES. _TOGETHER_.”

She felt weird, but kept playing it cool. “So what?”

“SHE’S SO NOT STRAIGHT. DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING?”

“It’s just a movie, Shane.”

“It’s just a movie” Shane mocked Amy echoing her in a poor impression of her voice. “Amy, I don’t know how you two didn’t end up humping. She’s sending you signals. If there was any doubts as if this girl could be bi, I’m telling you, there isn’t one now.”

“I don’t know why you’re freaking out over this.”

“Listen up, Raudenfeld.” Shane had his game on voice. “When you’re into someone and you choose to watch a movie, you go for the obvious romantic comedy or the next honeyed romance that is available. This actually tells you tons about Karma. She could’ve picked anything. She could’ve picked fucking Frozen, for all I care. But no. She picked the gay movie. Because you’re gay as fuck and she’s at least bisexual. She was trying to create tension between you. _Sexual_ tension. It was totally a move.”

Amy reflected a bit on it. Yeah, of course things got awkward when the actresses were going at it on the movie, but it wasn’t like Karma was embarrassed or uncomfortable. She kept leaning on Amy like every other scene. They weren’t teenagers, for fuck’s sake. But Amy would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that whenever things got a little personal on the movie, she thought about more intimate scenarios with Karma, but cursed herself on doing so when the girl was as close as to leaning on her shoulder.

“Well, if she wanted to cause that, she had a degree of success.” Amy admitted. “Especially since-“ Amy paused.

“Since?” Shane asked, his voice coming out higher than he planned to.

“Since we were… _Comfortable_. In the couch, I mean. She was leaning on my shoulder and I had my arm across hers.”

“Fuck, Amy.” Shane beamed. “The way you speak it’s like you have virtually zero chances with this girl, but I think you’re seriously overlooking things here. She’s definitely got some latent feelings for you. It’s quite clear to me.”

“We’re just friends.” Amy replied, skeptically, but she was beginning to allow herself to hope. And that would be her downfall, if anything.

“Friends don’t act like that! You and Liam have been friends for your entire lives. Have you ever acted like that with him?”

“I… Didn’t.”

“There you go.” Shane’s smile was so big, Amy feared he would hurt his cheeks.

“If I do have a chance,” Amy held her hand up in the air. “And that’s a big if. What should I do?”

“Do you want my honest opinion?”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Amy shrugged.

“Okay. You should go all in. Hold nothing back, Amy. You are falling in love with this girl, right?” Amy nodded. “Then make her fall in love with you as you are with her. There’s definitely something there. She’s clearly sending you bits of signs.”

“I couldn’t do that to Liam.” Amy frowned.

“You’re not doing that to Liam. Has it ever come across your mind Karma accepted being Liam’s girlfriend because she didn’t think you would come around? Because from what you’ve told me, you had been avoiding this girl for weeks. And now when you finally allow yourself to interact with her, she allows herself to fall in love with you. You didn’t give her the power of choice before, and now that she knows you better, she’s trying to get your attention.”

Amy massaged her temples. “Shane, I- I don’t know.”

“Amy, for crying out loud. Stop listening to that big, brainy head, and listen to your heart. For once, follow it. You can spend a lifetime searching for the next Karma, and who knows when you’ll find her or the next best thing. I say go for it. Go get her, tiger. And if Liam is your friend, he’ll understand. You can’t just wait around for things to work out for you. You have to make it happen.” Shane spoke with such intensity that Amy’s secret resolve to make Karma fall in love with her was only intensifying.

“You know what I say? Take her out on Saturday, and be at your peak. Make yourself irresistible – it isn’t too hard with that bone structure of yours and those baby green eyes. Make her forget the world around her, and only see you.” Shane continued.

Amy couldn’t stop the thumping of her heart with the thought of making Karma realize she was in love with Amy. She couldn’t stop the hope that had settled in, and now she would damn herself forever if she didn’t try.

“All in, then.” Amy resolved. “All in.”

* * *

 

Amy plopped down her bag on her bed, and her attention was sparked by a tiny white envelope by her pillow.

“What in the-“ Amy picked it up, it had _Amy_ scribbled on the front. She didn’t recognize the calligraphy right away, she pulled a little note from its inside.

‘ _Amy, thanks for helping me out yesterday. You are so much more than a friend for me. I love spending time with you. I took the liberty to repay you in the one way I could think of. I hope you like it._

_P.S.: turn off the lights and you’ll know what I’m talking about._ ’

Amy’s stomach was pretty much full of butterflies in that moment, and she held the note close to her chest. She lay on the bed, and remembering what Karma said on the note, she hit the lights.

At first she couldn’t see them properly, but the fluorescent substance began to glow, and Amy kept looking at the ceiling, as a constellation of stars began to glow above her. Amy beamed at the glow in the dark stars Karma had put up for her in the room. It was the next logical thing to think, but Amy was still surprised to see what the stars formed: Ursa Major.

And in that moment not only Amy was sure she was utterly in love with Karma, but also that she would do whatever it took to be with her.

* * *

Saturday morning was uneventful, and so was part of the afternoon. Amy had set to meet Karma later on. Karma didn’t know about it, but they would catch a show. Wasn’t a Broadway show, however. Amy loved Broadway and wanted to show Karma all her favorite plays, but they would have time for that. At least she hoped so.

**‘i’m really excited for this. you’re being really secretive about this one! what should i wear?’** Karma sent the message and Amy grinned once she saw it. She loved Karma’s anticipation.

_‘Keep it casual. Don’t stress about the dress code.’_

**‘okay… if i look like a fool the blame is all on you.’**

_‘You could never do that.’_

Amy had been working on her whole flirting game for days now. She didn’t know how to flirt very well, but she made an effort. She even asked Shane for ideas, which he gave her, but Amy still didn’t feel a hundred percent about this. She would just be her usual self with Karma, which seemed to be working. She didn’t want to overdo it, so she thought it was better to keep it simple. She didn’t want Karma to totally freak out when she realized that Amy maybe got the wrong idea about their whole ordeal. But she solved she would still try to woo Karma. She just wasn’t sure as to how. She made that extra effort to dress nicely, for once, opting to go with something a little bit more thrown together than food themed tees.

Finally, Amy grabbed a coat and left the apartment. She was used by now to the route she took to Karma’s. When she arrived, she pressed the buzzer. Karma’s voice came out from the other side.

_“I’m coming!”_

And soon enough, Karma was downstairs, coming to Amy’s embrace, but the girl froze halfway through it.

“What?” Amy asked, fear bubbling up. “Did I forget to wear pants?”

“No.” Karma laughed, breathless. “No, it’s just… You look gorgeous.” Karma bit her lip and Amy’s insides were full of joy. At least that bit she got right. “Not that you don’t always look gorgeous- I mean, of course you do! Look at you. How would you even-“ Karma cleared her throat. She looked flushed, even. Amy bit her lip to keep her from smiling and made a mental note to never underestimate the power of eyeliner again.

“You look gorgeous, too.” Amy replied in all honesty. Karma looked great in sweaters and Amy was eternally grateful for the day to be just the kind of day that asked for sweaters to be worn. “We should get going.” She observed.

Karma snapped out of it, and nodded. Amy gave Karma her arm, and Karma took it gladly. She loved the sensation of Karma’s fingers gripping at her forearm gently. She pictured how they would look like to random people on the street. Amy wondered if anyone entertained the idea that they were a couple, and she liked that. Maybe it wasn’t just her that thought she and Karma went together better than Liam and Karma did.

“Okay,” Karma started as soon as they got to the place they were supposed to go. “I had not pictured this.”

“This was actually kind of cliché of me, to be honest.” Amy shrugged. “But what the hell. Some clichés are worth it.” _Like falling in love for your best friend’s girlfriend. Way to go, Amy McCounaughey._ She ignored her inner monologue. She had better than comparing herself to Matt McCounaghey.

“I’m glad you decided to go cliché tonight.” Karma said and went for the large steps. “I only ever saw Lincoln Center in pictures.”

Lincoln Center was a pretty alright place. Amy sometimes caught a play or a show there with Shane, mostly. But also Liam. It was the go to place for existentially charged performances, Liam’s favorites. She wasn’t going to take Karma to those heavily themed plays, she was here to have fun. And besides, Amy’s favorite part of going to Lincoln Center was sitting at the fountain after a show, and talking about it.

“So, how about we go in?” Amy indicated the huge construction.

“We’re gonna catch a play?” Karma beamed. “I-I never went to a serious play or concert, you know.”

“Well, that only makes me even gladder I decided to bring you here. I hope you like Orchestras?” Amy winced, hoping for the best that Karma liked this sort of music.

“I like all kinds of music.” Karma reassured her. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Amy grinned, entwined their hands and they entered the theater together.

All the while of the concert, Karma seemed enthralled by the music. Sometimes she would cast a glance at Amy and grin at her. Amy was happy to choose this exact thing for them to do. She liked classical music, she got that from her dad, even though she hated to admit it. But she liked to think she would have still liked classical music, even if her dad hadn’t influenced. It’s music. It’s gorgeous and it’s feeling and Amy didn’t need a reason to like it, she just did.

Much like her affection towards Karma. It came out of nowhere and here she was, head over heels for the girl. Karma’s aura was a different type of music that matched Amy’s heartbeats. She loved it, and she took it gladly. She would happily listen to it her whole life.

The show was rather quick, and they were back on the fountain soon enough. Karma settled down and tapped a spot near her, and Amy sat down, indulging.

Karma’s gaze was capturing the beauty of the fountain, however. “Don’t you just love light?” She asked.

Amy laughed, not bothering to glance at the fountain she had seen in countless occasions. She focused on Karma, the beauty that sneaked up on her every time and knocked the air out of her lungs over and over again whenever she looked at the girl. She didn’t know how much she loved the lights of the fountain reflecting on Karma’s hazel eyes yet, but at the sight of it she was speechless. “Yeah. I do. Karma,” Amy said gingerly with such admiration towards the girl, which caused Karma to turn around to face her. “Thank you for the stars. I mean, the ones on my ceiling.”

Karma beamed at her. “I’m just happy you liked it.”

“I really did.” Amy’s smile grew bigger. “What do you say, should we grab a bite?”

“When do I ever refuse food?” Karma joked.

They made their way to a restaurant nearby, talking about the concert all the while. When Amy showed Karma the restaurant, Karma let out a hearty laugh. It was a sandwich house, but the walls were filled with games and arcades.

“I thought it would be nice to do something silly after watching something fancy.” Amy shrugged, Karma just pulled her inside, completely amused.

They had their orders taken, and chose to play a throw game. Karma went first and only got the balls in the 100 points hoops.

“You’re gonna need to do better than that to beat me, Ashcroft.” Amy teased.

“Fine. You go then, since you’re so good.” Karma teased back, clearing the way in front of the toy, sarcastically gesturing for Amy to take her place.

Amy threw the first ball. She got the 100 hoop. Karma laughed emphatically. Amy just brushed it off and moved on to the other ball. In this throw, she got 500. On the next, a perfect 1000 score. Amy raised an eyebrow towards Karma, so as to prove a point.

“Whatever.” Karma shrugged, her arms crossed over her chest. “Beginner’s luck.”

“What?” Amy barked out a laugh. “That doesn’t even make sense. You just have to work on your throw. Come here, I’ll show you how.”

Karma reluctantly stepped in front of Amy, and grabbed the balls Amy handed her.

“Okay, so you’re gonna need to aim higher.”

“Like this?” Karma showed a motion. Amy nodded and Karma threw the ball, but it just hit on the wall and fell to the floor.

“Okay, maybe try lower. Here, let me help.” This was it, this was the time she would have to make Flirting 101 work, and she hoped to God it wouldn’t be obvious and embarrassing. She focused on being suave, and let her hands run over Karma’s forearm up to the girl’s hand on both sides. She thought she heard Karma’s breathe hitch as she got closer and was inches away from pressing the girl’s back with her body. Amy aimed at a hoop. “Okay. Now try it.” She murmured softly on Karma’s ear.

“R-right.” Karma stumbled on the word, and Amy wasn’t sure if her changing behavior was actually caused by Amy flirting with her, or by the sudden closeness they seemed to have acquired. Karma threw her arm back and then forth, and the ball hit the 500 points hoop. Karma did a little jump and turned to face Amy, and only now Amy realized how really close Karma was, since her face was just millimeters away from Amy’s.

“Way to go.” Amy complimented her, a soft smile on her lips just to add emphasis on her compliment.

“Yeah.” Karma nodded, and Amy was aware of the girl’s arms crossed behind Amy’s neck, as she moved her hands down Karma’s sides. Karma didn’t seem to mind at all. “I had a little help.” She looked down and Amy admired her long eyelashes. They were already in position, Amy was deciding on whether or not to lean forward and kiss Karma and just stop the games and finally get what she wanted so badly.

“Ms.” A voice called from behind them. “Your table is ready.”

They disentangled themselves awkwardly, and while Amy gave the waiter a lethal glare, Karma smiled weakly at him, asking him to show them to their table. She didn’t let go of Amy’s hand, however.

This was pretty much how they walked around now, holding each other’s hand. It was becoming habit, but every time it still fascinated her.

Once they were sat down and their orders placed, the girls began to eat. They talked mindlessly about their weeks and how everything had gone. Karma was appointed in charge of her group and they had to come up with some Experimental Physics prototype to show at their finals. It wasn’t for another couple of months, but Karma was already stressing out now, Amy just squeezed her hand and told her she would be great and that she would come up with something. Amy was still working on her bacteria paper, and so far it had been as eventful as watching grass growing. At one point, Karma got this blotch of mustard on the side of her mouth.

“Wait, you got something here.” Amy pointed at it, and Karma’s tongue darted out in the direction, but still missed the spot. “It’s- You know what.” Amy stretched her arm so her thumb could clean the spot. She sat down back again and mindlessly sucked the mustard out of her finger. It was just something she did without thinking, but accidentally, it seemed to have worked a certain magic over Karma, who just stood there, looking at Amy with surprise in her eyes. “I’m sorry…” Amy apologized.

“No, it’s okay.” Karma dismissed Amy’s apologies and resumed eating, but her cheeks were still sort of red. If Amy liked Karma’s usual expression, she loved even more when Karma got embarrassed. She bet she would like Karma’s aroused face even better. And for her own good she stopped thinking about that immediately as she conjectured it.

An awkward silence established itself for a couple of minutes, and Amy wondered if she had gone overboard with the flirting and fucked everything up beautifully, she had a tendency to do that.

“Hey, Amy,” Karma spoke and Amy turned her attention to her. “Tell me a story of you and Liam. It’s just… I know you two are peas in a pod and I wondered how that could be, I mean, you and Liam are so different sometimes.” She commented, putting some ketchup on a fry.

“Yeah. I know.” Amy reflected on where to begin. “Okay, so Liam and I met when we were both five or so, I guess. I wasn’t really talkative back then, not even as close as I am now, which I think tells you a lot. But one day, Liam was playing catch with some of the boys, and I really liked to play catch, so I approached them and asked if I could, you know, join. The boys said that girls don’t play catch and didn’t let me play, so I retreated. A while later Liam walked up to me, gloves on one hand and ball on the other, and spent the rest of the day playing catch with me. After that day, we just settled the same friendship we have today.” Amy concluded with a shrug.

Karma was smiling with tenderness. “That’s really nice.”

“Not to mention Liam doesn’t eat peanut butter for over a decade because _I_ can’t eat peanut butter.” Amy added.

“Liam’s a nice person.” Karma observed and Amy agreed. “At first, though, I thought he was only being nice to me for other reasons.”

Amy laughed. “Yeah. He does have that effect on people. But he’s alright. He’s like a brother to me, to my mother’s distaste.” Karma looked confused, so Amy explained. “Long story short, she thought Liam and I would end up dating and marrying each other. But I’m the black sheep of the family.”

“You’re not a black sheep. You’re brave. You could easily have decided to not be true to yourself, it was the easier road. But you chose to be happy, and choosing to be happy demands a big amount of courage.” Karma replied and stretched her hand over the table to reach Amy’s and squeezed it.

“Thanks.” Amy looked down but smiled. “I guess I just didn’t want to end up with three marriages like my mother. My current stepfather is nice, though. He did take part in the birth of the spawn of all that is evil: my stepsister. Lauren. She’s quite remarkable.”

Karma snorted. “I’m sure she isn’t that bad.”

Amy thought of protesting, but she knew Karma was right. “She did back me up when I came out. So I guess she isn’t. She just really likes the tough love line.”

 Karma smiled softly. “Romantically speaking, though, are you like Liam? Did you have a lot of girlfriends?” Karma asked with sudden interest and Amy almost choked with her drink. The sudden change of subject throwing her for a loop.

“Not really. Just a few girls.” Karma raised an eyebrow, which caused Amy to blush a little. “You can count it on one hand! Anyway, I only had _one_ serious relationship during all this time.” Amy shrugged.

“She must’ve been great.” Karma observed.

“She is a great person. The only problem is that we began to feel like sisters and that didn’t work for me. It could, had my last name been Lannister.”

Karma snorted at Amy’s joke. “Yeah, I can see the problem. But any girl who gets to date you should feel privileged, though. I mean, look at the great dates you put together. I mean, the great _tours_ you put together.” The girl corrected herself, but Amy wish she hadn’t. In a certain way, it sort of felt like a date, at least to her.

They spent some more time talking, until they decided it was late and walked to the subway together the same way they had been walking the whole day, entwining their arms together. On the subway, their paths were different, so Amy hugged Karma, a little more closely.

“Text me when you get home, okay?” Amy required and Karma nodded obediently. Amy couldn’t help herself anymore, and did something she was dying to do since the moment they met, and she couldn’t believe she hadn’t done it yet. Now that they seemed more comfortable invading each other’s personal space, she thought it wouldn’t creep Karma out. So she stretched her hand and tucked a strand of Karma’s auburn hair behind the girl’s ear. Karma’s hair was soft on Amy’s hand, and she just wanted to run her hands through it. Karma looked down and smiled, Amy grinned back but her eyes were locked on Karma’s pink lips. Two times she had been close to kiss those lips, and she wanted to do it so badly, but it would cross a line and make her the biggest douche canoe in the whole planet, so she restrained. Instead, she just ran her hand up and down Karma’s back in a friendly stroke to add effect to her words.

“Bye, then.” Amy seemed disappointed to say that.

“Bye.” Karma echoed her disappointment, but leaned close to her ear and whispered, “By the way, you win. The bet. Don’t tell Liam yet.” She returned to her position smirking and gave Amy a complicity wink which made Amy’s heart almost give up, and then she was gone. Amy just sighed and took the train back home.

* * *

 

She didn’t encounter Liam on the living room, so that meant he was either out or already sleeping. She thought the latter option was unlikely. But soon her doubt was answered by Liam knocking on the door to her room, and she told him to come in.

“What’s up, girlie?” Liam asked, with a towel hanging on his neck, drying up his hair. He wore sweats.

“You’re home so soon?”

“Yeah. Didn’t have much to do, anyway. My girlfriend was out on a date with my best friend.” He shrugged.

Amy laughed dryly at his joke. “So, what up?”

“I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor.”

“Anything. Shoot.”

“I’m going away for two weeks.”

“What?! Where?” Amy sat up straight on the bed.

“I and my arts group are going to this huge exhibition on California. We’ve came up with this project and our teacher wants us to show it at said exhibition. Anyway, I’m gonna be there for two weeks.”

Amy waited, when Liam said nothing, she asked, “Okay. What is the favor?”

“Could you, you know, keep Karma some company while I’m away?”

Amy laughed. “Liam, Karma has an assortment of friends, you know.”

“Yeah, she does,” He rubbed his neck. “But none of them are as close to her as you are. And also, I trust you to keep me updated on anything I should know.”

“Like what?” Amy raised one eyebrow in a confused expression.

“If she, you know, starts fancying other people.”

Amy was pretty sure she blushed a little, but half of it was mostly due to Liam’s request. “You’re a total asshole sometimes, you know?” Amy huffed. “Don’t worry, though. I happen to be Karma’s friend and even if you hadn’t asked, I would keep her company. Because I genuinely like her.” _More than like, even_. She bit her tongue to repress her thought.

“It’s a win-win, then. You get to spend time with a friend, and I get to not be worried about Karma coming up with new people on her romantic horizon.”

“You should give Karma a little more credit, you know that, right?” Amy was somewhat stressed about Liam thinking Karma would simply jump at the first flirtation train once he left. Karma was one of the most trust-worthy person she had ever known. She was annoyed that he wouldn’t give Karma the benefit of doubt to avoid any romantic advances. Amy knew better than that. She wasn’t a cheater, because if she was, by now Amy would’ve known.

“I know. I can’t help it, though. I am not a jealous guy, but then again, I don’t know what kind of guy I’m becoming now. Karma sure is showing me better. She’s making me realize I was so wrong about a lot of stuff.” Liam confessed.

Amy had to ask, even though the risks were high that if Liam said yes to her question she would be completely crushed by the weight of it. And she would have to be the bigger person, but she really didn’t want to be the bigger person in this whole situation. She asked anyway. “Do you love her?”

Liam seemed to think about it for a while. “Not yet. But I’m getting there.”

Amy nodded. Liam didn’t have to be in love with Karma already, after all not everyone jumps the gun about love. Amy herself didn’t. She knew loving someone was much more complicated than it seemed, and that love sometimes was a rather selfish thing. But she understood enough to know that when you really loved someone, you would do whatever to make them happy. That summed her relationship up with Liam. Had Liam told her he loved Karma, she would have the strength to step off this situation. Because she loved Liam like a brother, she loved him and didn’t want to see him suffer. But Liam still didn’t love Karma. Which meant that it wouldn’t break his heart if things with Karma didn’t work out. Or would it?

“It’s complicated.” He continued. “Sometimes I really think we’re making progress, but she proves me wrong.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, confused.

“I think we’re already in one step of the relationship, but we’re in another. It’s really tricky to explain, but okay, I’ll give you an example. She sleeps here a lot, doesn’t she?”

“I suppose.” Amy shrugged.

“Okay, and we have a great time and she’s totally comfortable hanging around. But when we’re alone in the room and we’re making out,” Amy didn’t want the mental picture on her head, she shut it out with all the strength she could muster up. “When I want to get, you know, more _intimate_ , she shuts the whole thing down.”

“Maybe she doesn’t feel ready yet.” Amy shrugged. It was rather selfish and childish, but to know that Karma hadn’t slept with Liam made her happy. She didn’t know why, mostly just jealousy, but still. “You just have to give her time.”

“I know. And I do. I respect her decision. But Karma isn’t a virgin, and she’s told me about past experiences in the bedroom, you know.” Amy felt a little cheated that they got to have that conversation, and then she realized she had no right to feel that way. “It seems like she’s just shutting me out, you know? Like, she isn’t into it when she’s with _me_.”

Amy didn’t know what to say. “I think you should just give her time, and when she feels comfortable, she’ll, you know, get intimate.”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m way more into Karma than she is into me.” Liam observed, frowning.

“Not having sex has nothing to do with attraction. Maybe you should talk to her.” Amy suggested.

“Yeah. I think I’m gonna do that when I’m back. But you know they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder.” He winked at Amy and she shook her head, snorting.

“I guess you’ll just have to find out.” She offered.

“Okay.” Liam said and tapped her knee. “I’m gonna leave you to whatever you’re doing and I’m gonna read some in my room.”

“Yeah.” Amy shoot him a weak grin. “By the way, when do you leave?”

“Tuesday.” Liam answered and went out the door.

Amy wasn’t sure she could do this anymore. The whole going after Karma thing. It just didn’t seem fair. She heard Shane’s words echoing in her mind: _Love isn’t fair. It isn’t a game to have rules._ But she still felt like she was cheating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends! there you go, a new chapter just out of the oven. things are only going to get more intense for Karma and Amy from now on, let's see how long it takes for these two dorks to get together, because lbr they so want to. anyway, i hope you liked the chapter, and the next one comes out on wednesday. as always i'm captainclarkes on tumblr, so you can reach me there. byeeeee!


	8. Chapter 8

Liam left on Tuesday as he said. Amy had gone with him to the airport, apparently his sudden notice to Karma had made the girl upset enough so she wouldn’t join them. Liam assured Amy he left on good terms with her, though. He made sure to pay Amy ten bucks, referring to the bet since Karma picked Amy as the winner, and Liam was just paying it up. Amy still had flashbacks of Liam telling her it seemed like Karma wasn’t that much into him, but she refused to build hope around that assumption.

In a negative note, she would stay all alone in their empty apartment, and Amy hated being alone.

In a positive note, she would spend more time with Karma than she had imagined.

Yes, she was a horrible person.

But on Wednesday afternoon, not hearing or speaking with Karma for a whole day, an ominous message popped up on her phone.

**‘hey, girl. want 2 hang?’**

_‘I’m sorry. Who is this again?’_ Amy typed with a little smile sprouting on her face.

**‘that was my best Ryan Gosling impression. now i’m offended, buttface.’**

_‘Do you even need to ask if I want to hang out? With you, the answer is always yes.’_

**‘in this case, which ice cream do i pick up on the way to your apartment?’**

_‘Haagen-Dazs. You up for Caramel Biscuit?’_

**‘i hear you. i’m gonna be there in a few.’**

Amy reflected for a second, biting down on her lip, her thumbs hovering over the keys until she decided to type. _‘Hey, Karma. Did you leave your house yet?’_

The reply came shortly after. **‘not yet, why?’**

_‘Do you think you could, um, maybe spend the night? I just really feel alone in this apartment by my own.’_

**‘oh, that’s actually great. yeah, of course i can spend the night. i hate being alone at my apartment, too.’**

Amy grinned at the response. _‘Okay. I’ll be waiting.’_

And she did. She waited 20 minutes until Karma sounded the buzzer and she let her in.

“Caramel biscuit for the lady.” Karma said, stepping into the apartment dramatically and handing her an ice cream pot.

“Fantastic.” Amy replied, taking the ice cream from Karma’s hand, trying to not make a big deal out of their fingers brushing. She wasn’t a twelve year-old. “I have Pringles and I could make popcorn. I’ve already set the Netflix.”

“You’re actually efficient, aren’t you?” Karma tapped her shoulder and set her overnight bag on top of the table.

“I try.” Amy shrugged.

Karma took her jacket off to reveal a tank top underneath it. Amy was a little taken aback by it, because she had never seen Karma wearing a tank top, but she bounced back quite gracefully from this, almost imperceptibly if it wasn’t for the quick flush on her cheeks. Karma plopped on the couch. “Can you come here before I turn seventy and open that ice cream?”

“Only if you ask nicely.” Amy teased and Karma sighed dramatically, but took the challenge.

“Amy,” Karma practically purred the girl’s name out. Her voice low and sultry, causing a tingling sensation on Amy’s lower stomach. “Join me. Please.” And then Karma did something that knocked the air out of Amy’s lungs. The girl had her hand in the air, beckoning Amy with her index finger. And in that moment words were not enough to express how hot Karma looked, or how turned on Amy felt. She was pretty sure her face turned beet red.

“See? Wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Amy croaked awkwardly before taking a seat next to Karma and then she knew the drill, Karma started to shuffle around her, leaning on her shoulder, and Amy slung back an arm around Karma’s.

They spent the whole afternoon like that. Amy had made her peace with Netflix, and they settled for watching tacky romcoms. It might have seemed the same as the other day they did this, but it was different. Everything was so much lighter now, there was so much trust between them. They poked fun at the movies and if they seemed like a couple back them, she didn’t even want to know how they seemed now. They spent a lot of time winding each other up, teasing each other like couples do. All the ‘shut ups’ and ‘make mes’ touching the ground of flirty, but never going further than that. There was a moment when Karma’s arm moved to Amy’s back, so she could get closer to the girl. And Amy tried the boundaries by letting her arm on Karma’s shoulder slowly descend to Karma’s lower back. Her hand by Karma’s hips, her fingers tracing patterns on the limits of the hem of Karma’s tank top, the small part of skin exposed and the waistband of her jeans. The girl didn’t oppose to it, in fact she snuggled closer.

When they had enough of movies, Karma turned around to Amy with a serious expression on her face.

“I need to ask you a question and I’m gonna need you to be honest with me, and not to dismiss it, okay? You need to promise.” The girl asked with serenity.

Amy gulped hard, but still nodded. “Okay. I promise.”

“Do you believe in soul mates?”

Amy first instinct was to snort, but she promised to Karma she would take this seriously, so she reflected on the matter a little. It wasn’t that Amy didn’t believe in soul mates, she did. She just never saw it happening to her. But the idea of having someone laid out for you by fate and bound to know you better than you know yourself is a comforting notion.

“Hmm. I’m kind of skeptical about these things, but I believe in it in some capacity, now at least. I find it cool to believe in your fate to line out this totally random person who will change your life et cetera. Star-crossed love is a comforting notion, I think.” Amy shrugged and Karma laid her head on Amy’s lap, looking up at Amy and holding her gaze.

“What changed your mind?”

_You._ Amy wanted to say, but instead she just shrugged it off. “I feel like I’m becoming less cynical, I guess?” She ran her fingers through Karma’s hair. “If people write and sing and boast about it so much, at least some part of it is true.”

“Hmm.” Karma hummed, pensive.

“What about you? Do _you_ believe in soul mates?”

Karma smiled softly, looking down. “Yes. But I grew up believing in this kind of stuff, so now it’s hard not to.”

“But why do you believe?”

“You know how they have all of these theories, right? About people being bound together by the red string of fate or the one that says Zeus split humans in half and now they just have to roam around searching for their halves? I have my own theory. I don’t know if it makes sense or not.”

“I’m listening.” And Amy was. She was enthralled by pretty much anything that came from Karma, so of course she would listen to her reasoning and her theories. Partly because she just loved to hear Karma talking, her voice soothed Amy in a way nothing else did, and partly because she had also fallen in love with Karma’s wit.

“Right.” Karma paused, wet her lips with her tongue, and begun. “You know how we’re all formed by stardust, right? It’s one of Lavoisier laws. In nature, nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything is transformed. We are molecules around the air, constantly changing. I think soul mates are nothing more than the same stardust from the same star just wanting to collide again, to form that bond again. We’re just stardust, wandering around through time and space, hoping to find the other part of us that will allow for this star to emit light again. Not literally, though.”

Amy thought about it, and then she smiled. “I like your explanation better than the myths.” She told Karma tenderly. “Have you found them yet? I mean, the rest of the stardust that composed you.”

“I think I have.” Karma said with certainty and Amy’s heart dropped a little. She refused to believe Karma’s soul mate was Liam. Because if soul mates existed, and that was a big if, she thought she and Karma went along better than they did. Amy felt so attracted to her, and if we are in fact formed by molecules of stardust, she was sure they came from the same star. Because, there was no other way to say it, Amy felt she emitted light when she was with Karma. “Not in the same ways I would like to, though.”

“How so?”

“Do you think it’s possible for your soul mate’s soul mate not be, well, you?”

“I don’t think that’s possible, Karma.” Amy said in all honesty. “But this is just all theory, right?”

“Yeah.” Karma shrugged, her expression dropping a little. “It’s just, it bums me out to think that my soul mate is not bound to me for the rest of my life.”

“I guess you’re just gonna have to find out. This is way too complex, I think.” Amy replied. Her heart sore by the thought of Liam and Karma being the real deal. They were quiet for a moment until Amy sighed. “I think I’m gonna call it a night.”

Karma yawned. “Yeah. Good idea.”

“Let’s just finish this episode.” Amy said, leaning back on the couch and Karma agreed. She closed her eyes for five minutes.

Or well, what seemed like five minutes.

Amy woke up abruptly, the TV still on. She scanned the cupboard, looking for her cellphone. She pressed it and the phone informed it was 2:43 a.m. Karma was still laying down on her lap. Amy shook the girl’s shoulder gently.

“Karma,” She whispered, her voice croaky.

Karma mumbled in response. “We fell asleep on the couch. Come on, let’s go to bed.” Amy made a standing up motion, and Karma sat up on the couch. Hair rustled and a confused face. And even in Amy’s drowsiness, the girl was still cute.

Amy turned off the TV and the lights on the living room, and walked to her bedroom. Karma followed, their hands entwined. Amy was wearing sweats, so she just lay down on the bed. Karma did the same. They settled under the comforter, too tired to even think, they just did it by default like they had done that a thousand times over. All Amy knew is that she was really comfortable and safe like she hadn’t felt in a long while, with Karma’s arms wrapped around her waist, the girl spooning her. She sighed comfortably, and dozed off.

* * *

The alarm buzzed loudly by Amy’s nightstand, she stretched out an impatient hand to silence it. Slowly, she opened up her eyes, blinking away her sleep, still feeling a bit disoriented. She shuffled a little in bed, and turned to face Karma, who was still sleeping by her side. She caught herself admiring the girl sleeping so soundly. A rapture of affection bubbling up in Amy’s heart. She wondered if Karma liked pancakes for breakfast, she hadn’t eaten breakfast in her apartment in a long time.

She took a beat. Karma was by her side. On _her_ bed. Karma’s arms still wrapped around Amy’s waist, and a leg thrown over Amy’s.

_Fuck_.

Karma would totally freak out when she woke up and saw she slept on Amy’s bed. Wouldn’t she? Friends sleep on each other’s bed, right? Even when there are spare beds? Even when you can use your totally empty boyfriend’s bed?

Fuck, she repeated in her mind. Amy was fucked. She disentangled from Karma with all the delicacy she could muster up so as to not wake up the girl. She tiptoed around her room, picked out some clothes and took a shower. When she got back to the room, Karma wasn’t there anymore.

“Karma?” Amy called, afraid the girl had left.

“In the kitchen!” Karma answered, and Amy felt relieved.

“Morning.” Amy quietly said when she entered the kitchen. A delicious smell was filling the whole place.

“Good morning!” Karma replied, smiling. “I thought it was okay for me to cook some pancakes?”

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s okay.” Karma turned to her with a spatula in the air, a lazy smile on her lips and her hair tied up in a messy bun. Amy tried not to stare, but she was in awe by Karma’s easy beauty. “I wanted to. Here, would you wrap these up while I take a quick shower?”

Amy nodded. Karma passed by her, gave the girl a quick kiss on the cheek and marched towards the bathroom.

Amy stood there, petrified and blushing. It seemed like she was overreacting, and Karma had no trouble in sleeping on her bed, it wasn’t weird unless Amy made it weird. Amy grabbed the spatula, resolved she wouldn’t ruin this.

When Karma came back, Amy had put the pancakes on a plate, and took out the maple syrup out of the kitchen cabinet.

“I toasted some more than others, I don’t know how you like your pancakes.” Amy offered when the girl entered the room. She stopped talking when she saw Karma’s face. The girl’s expression was filled with _dread_. “Karma, are you okay?”

Karma shook her head, and winced. “I need your help. My mom’s coming to visit. She’ll arrive on Friday.”

Time for Amy to meet the parents, then.

* * *

 “You’re really screwed.” Shane laughed on her face with a delighted expression. “Liam’s got the easiest part of being on a relationship with Karma. You get all the hard things.”

“It’s not funny.” Amy declared with outrage.

“I don’t know why you are so worried.” Shane stopped laughing, now he had a trace of a knowing smirk on his mouth. “It’s not like Karma’s mom will rip your head off. She just wants to spend some time with her daughter. And Karma needs your help, probably to set everything up.”

“We’re having lunch together.” Amy announced, as if it were the biggest of burdens.

“Oh, my God, Amy. Get your act together. You’re not even _dating_ Karma. As far as you all know, this is just an innocent lunch for all you ladies to have a good time chatting. That’s it.”

“It’s not weird if we don’t make it weird.” Amy pondered.

“Yeah! That’s the spirit.” He gave her a friendly tap on the shoulder.

Amy slowly hit her head on the table twice. “But _I’m_ weird, Shane! I can’t do this.”

“Listen up, Raudenfeld.” Shane recollected her face that was buried in her arms, and held up her chin with both of his hands. “Liam’s not here. You’re the only person Karma likes enough to want her mom to meet you. You won’t ruin that, you know why? Because she can only trust in _you_. Now if you’re in love with her, you’re gonna do this.”

Amy felt like she had been punched in the gut, but she sighed and blew a strand of hair off her face. “I’m gonna do this.” She repeated.

“Atta girl.” Shane winked. “You better get going, then. It’s almost time to meet Karma senior.”

Amy stood up on shaky legs, and assembled her best game on face. Or well, the best one she could muster up at the moment.

“Call me later to tell me how it went.” He gave her a thumbs up.

 

Amy made to the restaurant in record time. She found Karma on a table, biting on her nails, talking to a woman who had her back turned to Amy.

She approached, telling herself everything would be just fine.

Karma’s face lit up completely when she saw Amy stopping by the table. The girl got up immediately and hugged her like she had really missed Amy and Amy was grateful for that. When they broke contact, Karma kept an arm over Amy’s waist in a reassuring gesture.

“Amy,” Karma started. “This is my mom, Molly.”

Amy smiled at Karma’s mom. She was shorter than Amy but taller than Karma, her hair curly and black and her eyes green. She gave Amy a warm smile, and hugged Amy as well. She wasn’t actually taken by surprise, since Karma had warned her that her mom was a hugger and she didn’t believe in handshakes. Her philosophy was that she was making friends, not business. Amy just hugged her back, less awkward than she thought she would be.

 Molly let Amy go, so they could seat. “It’s nice to meet you, Amy. Karma’s told me a lot about you.” She said, pleasantly. Amy felt a little more relieved. She had pictured Karma’s mom more hippie than she actually was, by what Karma described. But Molly seemed genuinely glad Amy joined them.

The girls sat side by side, with Molly facing them. A waiter came and took their orders, and all the while Molly just observed the pair, with an approving-like grin on her face.

“So, Amy,” She started, “Karma tells me you guys met at NYU and that you study biology.”

“Oh, yeah.” Amy replied, looking at Karma with uncertainty. Karma smiled back at her, encouraging her to continue. “I started last year, it’s just something I always went reasonably well as a student, but then when I got to college and learned it was so much more, I kinda fell in love with it.”

“That’s fantastic. I’m an outdoorsy person, all of us back home are. Did Karma tell you we used to go camping every summer when she was a child?”

Amy glanced at Karma, amused. The girl just shrugged.

“We took a whole week off, Zen brought his hand made dream catchers and I brought the guitar so we could sing Kumbaya into oblivion.” Karma admitted, a little embarrassed.

Amy laughed but touched the girl’s hand in solidarity. Molly didn’t miss that, but was kind enough to let it go. “That’s awesome. You know what I did every summer when I was a kid? Played the Legend of Zelda, all the time. To be fair there was a lot of Pokémon too.”

Both Karma and her mom giggled at the remark. Amy was getting more comfortable by the minute, as she and Molly discussed green compost and she let out an information on degrading bacteria now and then to Molly’s approval. Karma participated in the conversation, handling everything quite gracefully, given her complete freak out when she knew her mother was coming to visit. Sometimes Amy and Karma exchanged glances, Karma had her chin on her hand and Amy just loved to look at her like that. In retribution, Karma looked at Amy with something in her eyes that Amy couldn’t pinpoint the exact sentiment, but made her stomach do this funny thing and she knew her look was born out of affection.

Maybe Karma’s discomfort knowing her mother would visit was caused by the fact she thought her family was too weird for Amy or Liam, or maybe because if Amy refused to go, her mother would think she had no friends whatsoever. It was a shame Karma didn’t know that, by far, she had the most normal and supportive family out of the three of them. Amy carried two stepfathers and a brat of a stepsister in her stride and a mother that wasn’t very understanding or supportive, but Amy loved her nonetheless. While Liam was on the other side with a family that was incredible from the outside. A father that couldn’t care less about him, a mother who was too busy for him because she was constantly throwing fundraisers and an older sister who was as fucked up as himself. It would be nice just once to have a family like Karma’s. A family that loves you no matter what, and encourages you to seek your dreams.

“Tell me, Amy, I know you’re from Dallas and that your mother still lives there, Karma told me,” Molly added. “But what about your father?”

Karma almost choked herself with the water she’d been drinking. Once she stopped coughing, she blurted out a little embarrassed “Mom!”

“No, no. It’s okay.” Amy assured them. She would have to talk about it with Karma at some point, eventually. “Well, um, my father was a father for eight years, and decided to quit that job. So, you know, I didn’t spend too much time with him, and I don’t think I will spend any more time with him, I mean.”

“Don’t you wish to reconnect?” Molly asked, frowning, and Amy ignored Karma almost having a coronary by her side.

Amy let out a dry laugh. “I think it’s too late for that now.”

“Oh, dear,” Molly gave a friendly tap on Amy’s hand. “It’s never too late to make amends.”

Amy shot her a weak smile. It _was_ too late to make amends, but they didn’t need to know that.

“Changing the subject,” Molly digressed in an upbeat voice. “How long have you and Karma been together?”

This time, Amy was the one who choked.

“ _Mom_! Amy and I are _friends_. I told you.” Karma’s face was a particular impressive shade of red Amy had never seen in her life, but she had the impression her face was just as red as the girl’s.

Molly giggled. “Oh, yeah. A _friend_. If that’s what you kids are calling it these days. I don’t mind it, you know? Don’t put labels on yourself, just have a good time loving each other. Right on!”

Amy nodded and chuckled a little. She was incredibly embarassed, but she dodged it well. Mostly, Amy was just relishing the fact that Karma was making this the biggest greek tragedy since Troy. Even the movie, with Eric Bana on the leading part, and that said something.

The rest of the lunch ran quite smoothly. Karma was still utterly embarrassed about her mother, but Amy wasn’t. Amy liked Molly. She was so supportive of Karma’s decisions, and she was so positive all the time. If Amy was, in fact, Karma’s girlfriend she would love to have Molly as her mother in law. They talked a little about Karma’s father, Lucas, who didn’t come because he was in a spiritual refuge since his astral had been a little low in the past weeks, so he decided to take a sabbatical.

Molly also filled Amy in a good number of embarrassing childhood stories of Karma, and showed her a couple of Karma’s baby pictures. Karma protested, but Amy absolutely loved it. Karma was the cutest of babies, to which Amy teased babies always grow up and become weird looking things. That earned her a punch in the arm, but Karma laughed anyway.

They spent a good three hours chatting and finally decided to call it a day. Karma was going to take Molly to Times Square and they would shop at Macy’s later on. Molly was excited to finally get to buy all these natural products on a store close to Karma’s apartment. Amy would just let them comfortable to do whatever, so she said goodbye to Molly and the woman gave her an even warmer hug. “I really loved to meet you, Amy.” She said, a hand cupping Amy’s face. “I’m happy you of all people are _friends_ with Karma.”

Amy beamed in return. “Ditto, Molly. You should come back here soon, and this time, I would love to take you and Lucas to see the city.”

Molly nodded in agreement. Karma excused herself, saying she would walk Amy outside.

“Thank you so much.” She said with relief after they were out the restaurant. “This was actually enjoyable.”

“Oh, come on.” Amy dismissed it with a hand gesture. “Your mom is great! She’s awesome. The palm reading she gave me? Best news I’ve heard in a while.”

Karma scoffed. “Yeah, right. Like she actually knows palm reading. ‘That which you desire the most will happen soon’. It’s like a fortune cookie, or a horoscope. These things always use general terms so people will relate.”

“You should have a little more faith in the Zodiac, since you’re an astrophysicist. And considering your name.” Amy mocked, grinning.

“I’m a scientist, my mom just reads a lot of magazines.”

“Seriously. She’s a delight, Karma. Had it been the other way around, you’d be practically sprinting out of the restaurant.”

Karma giggled. “Farrah can’t be that bad.”

“She doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘can’t’.” Amy replied in all seriousness.

“I’m sorry she asked about your dad.” Karma apologized sincerely. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, since you’re always so reserved about that, and I told her not to ask anything related, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Amy caressed Karma’s arm. “I just don’t really have the habit to talk about it. It’s… _Complicated_. But I’ll tell you why. On another day, though. Today I want you to have fun with your mom.”

“It’s too bad you can’t stay.” Karma embraced her and her speech was muffled by her cheek being squished against Amy’s shoulder. “But at the same time, it’s best for you to run and save your life, because if my mom gets the chance, she’ll ask you even more invasive questions.”

Amy snorted. “It’s okay. Have a good time, right?” She pulled away from Karma to look at her, and she cupped the girl’s face with both her hands. Karma’s skin was as soft as it looked, and she planted a kiss on the girl’s forehead. “You get to be the New Yorker today. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Karma nodded, their eyes locked for a long moment, and then the moment was over and they said goodbyes. She went back in the restaurant, while Amy strolled towards her apartment.

One thing was burning on the back of Amy’s mind, though. When Molly asked how long they’d been together, Karma told her they were friends, but why didn’t Karma tell her mom about Liam? She thought it was a bit sketchy, and she didn’t exactly like that. If Karma and Liam had broken up, she would surely know that. After burning fuses stressing over this, she decided Karma was just still mad at Liam, that’s why she didn’t say anything. That was the only possible explanation. Amy just decided to let it go.

It wasn’t exactly like things were simple between her and Karma. She was taking science that this huge grey area had been presenting itself for a while now. They were friends, but Karma gladly walked around with Amy holding hands, and yes, that wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but surely enough, all the other things they did, the banter, the veiled flirtation, that should tell Amy something. They fucking _spooned_. Maybe Shane was right. Maybe Karma wanted to know for sure if Amy was into her, because she was into Amy as well, and the girl had been a huge fool not to continue whatever started on the day they met. Now they had to act like this because they didn’t want to be the biggest assholes on Earth and cheat on Liam. Because on the list of shitty things they could do, that was the number one shitty thing. And Liam deserved better than that. They all did.

Everything was building up to be this great shitstorm, and Amy felt it approaching. But she’s never had it easy, anyway. And she didn’t want to give up now. She loved Karma. The realization of that hitting her whole, like it was something that had been trapped inside her chest for so long and she couldn't hold back anymore. She was in love with Karma Ashcroft, completely, headlessly and totally vonluntarily. It was too late to go back, and she didn't want to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends! here's a brand new chapter of this story. i hope you enjoyed reading it. i wanted to get Molly in the mix because she's just such a comic character, and this is, after all, a romcom format story to be honest. chapter 9 comes out next monday. until then, salutations and have a good weekend, guys. byeeeeee.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, so i felt like it was my obligation to put a trigger warning here: light mentions of death. don't worry though, this won't affect the story, but it will bring Karma and Amy closer. however, i felt like it would hit close to home to some people, and i don't want to be the asshole who doesn't give a fair warning. it is still a comic and happy story, but i felt like there should be a serious moment. 
> 
> now, chapter 9.

On Sunday, Amy was planning to nap all day, like any normal person would, but Karma texted her sometime around noon, so of course she abandoned that plan as soon as she took a look at the phone.

**‘just got back from the airport. mom went back to austin. how did you miss me yesterday?’**

_‘Terribly. I could barely mope around in your absence.’_ Amy knew Karma would take that sentence ironically, but Amy was being a hundred percent unironic.

**‘good. that’s my plan.’**

_‘Whatever, Mojo Jojo. What up?’_

**‘do you want to do something today?’**

Amy stared at the phone for a while. The irk feeling she had about being an asshole to everyone was creeping up and getting the best of her. She cursed herself. _‘I think I’m coming down with something. Might as well stay in today.’_

**‘oh. okay. are you feeling well? i could drop by and help you out.’**

She hated herself for doing this. _‘Yeah, I’m feeling well. I just don’t want you to catch it.’_

**‘right. i’ll check in with you tomorrow, then. get well soon.’**

She knew what was happening with her. She was panicking, she was chickening out. She realized where she had been going with all of this as soon as she walked out of the restaurant, and now she wanted to undo everything. She wanted to retract from being flirty with Karma, because she couldn’t take this grey area any longer. And as soon as she picked up the weakest glimpse of Karma joining her in that area of their relationship, she jumped ship. She was a terrible person, she was actual trash, but she couldn’t help it.

Now, she was even more pissed at herself, for having treated Karma so sharply. This was all her mess. She’s the third party who thought it was a brilliant idea to meddle in Liam and Karma’s relationship. She sat up straight on her bed. Amy didn’t know what she wanted, but she knew she didn’t want this. She picked the phone up again.

 _‘I need to show you something. Can you meet me?’_ She hesitated but hit send.

**‘i thought you were coming down with something...’**

_‘It was a false alarm.’_ Amy was sure Karma knew something was up, but she hoped to God that she would agree to meet Amy.

**‘…okay. do i meet you at your’s?’**

_‘No. I’ll text you the address. Do you think you could be there in thirty?’_

**‘yeah, sure.’**

* * *

Amy was the most nervous she had been in a while. She didn’t know how Karma would react to the things she had to say. A thought ran through her head constantly: _What if Liam already told her_. Of course she was extrapolating. Liam knew Amy would be incredibly upset with him if he said anything.

It wasn’t even that shocking. Amy just didn’t like to talk about it. Karma would get it. She knew Karma. She _really_ knew her. She got to know all these personal things about Karma in two months. They were closer than ever, and it seemed like Amy had known Karma her whole life. It was only fair that Karma knew everything there was to know about Amy in return.

“Hey.” Karma greeted her quietly. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest, and it was clear Amy had upset her by being so blunt earlier.

“Hey.” She answered in the same tone.

“This a little gloomy meet-up place, isn’t it?” Karma asked, gesturing to their surroundings.

“It is a graveyard, I mean.” Amy shrugged.

“What are we doing in a graveyard?”

Amy took in a deep breathe. “Just… Come with me.”

And Amy doesn’t know what Karma saw in her face, but she was so thankful for Karma to hold her hand in that moment. Amy walked with Karma by her side, until they stopped at an ebony marble epitaph.

“Okay.” She turned to Karma. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the question your mom made. About my dad. And I thought you should know. Here he is.” Amy touched the epitaph. Under her hand it read ROBERT RAUDENFELD – BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER.

She could see a lot of thoughts and emotions going through Karma’s face. But Karma settled with sympathy.

“Oh, Amy.” Right there, she never heard Karma sound so sad. It just reflected how Amy herself felt. The girl took a step towards her and threw her arms around Amy. “I’m so sorry.”

Amy took comfort in the embrace, breathing in Karma’s hair. “No, it’s- It’s just a bit fucked up. I know.”

Karma stared up at her. “What happened?”

Amy pulled away, stepping across from Karma. “Oh, you know, nothing too uncommon. He had a vascular accident. He didn’t – He didn’t live with us for eight years already. Not once he called, Karma. That,” She pointed to the grave, “That homage isn’t mine and my mother’s. It’s from his other family. His other wife and his other daughter.”

“How did you find out?”

Amy chuckled dryly. “He wanted to make amends. That’s- That’s what your mom said on Friday. He was in the hospital for a while, trying to bounce back from his stroke. He had his wife call me, and tell me about his state. He wasn’t going to make it, so he had her call. He wanted me to visit because he wanted to make amends.”

Karma nodded with sobriety, waiting for Amy to continue.

“But I didn’t.” Amy admitted, feeling completely awful. Her eyes stung with tears she didn’t want to let out. “I didn’t go. I told her he had eight years to make amends. He didn’t get to be my father for a few days when he hadn’t showed up in almost a decade… He died two days later.”

“Oh, Amy.” That was all Karma could say. Her voice too sad to even form a full phrase. It wasn’t fair to expect Karma would come up with something that would make Amy feel less awful. She was just pretty much dumping all these things on Karma. Things that Karma couldn’t have foreseen or expected. Whatever messed up thing Karma imagined had happened between Amy and her dad, she didn’t expect this.

“The reason I never talk about it is because I feel so fucking _guilty_ all the time. I was too caught up on my own hurt pride that I didn’t care I was supposed to be the adult. I was supposed to go, because no matter how badly this person messed up, you indulge them. Because he was my father, and I can’t change that. But I could change how we ended. I was so caught up on hating him because he left me and my mom, and one year later he had another wife and another daughter. And he raised _her_. And when I found out, I could only ask myself why, you know? Why did he choose her, why didn’t he pick me? I felt like that eight year-old all over again, asking my dad why he was taking all the bags with him.”

Amy let a tear escape and hated herself for it. She didn’t have a problem with crying. She had a problem with crying because of him. Because no matter what, she still felt like a child whenever she spoke of him. Because she felt so weak all the time when it came to this. She was just an abandoned kid, and she would always be an abandoned kid. It wasn’t fair to her mother, because she had been there all this time. But something about being bailed out by your own father, a person that _should_ love you no matter what, fucks people up eternally.

Karma held her hand.

“I just wanted to know why he didn’t love me anymore.” Her voice broke down and Karma was all over her. Embracing her, stroking her back in comforting patterns. Amy would’ve hated anyone who hugged her right this second. She hated when she was on the verge of crying and people hugged her, because she fell apart completely. And she fell apart completely on Karma’s arms, burying her face on the girl’s hair, grasping at Karma’s back. She fell apart, but it was different somehow. It didn’t matter Karma saw all her flaws exposed and in the open. It didn’t matter because she felt Karma holding her together.

“I was so caught up in my own issues, I didn’t even realize there was a woman losing her husband of seven years. I didn’t even realize there was a little eight year-old girl losing her father. And that is the worst of it all. I don’t want to be him. I don’t want to be this person who doesn’t care about others. I want to be better than that.” She continued, the tears running free on her face now.

“You’re not.” Karma assured her with decision. “You are wonderful, Amy. Oh, my God, Amy, you are so wonderful.” Karma pulled away and Amy saw her eyes were red. Karma cupped her face with both hands, and ran her thumbs on Amy’s cheek, drying her tears. “You are everything, Amy. I can’t even fathom why you would think something like that. You are so much better. You are kind and you are so thoughtful. And you care so much about everyone.”

Amy looked down and Karma kissed her eyelids gently. “I don’t know why he did that. I don’t know why he stuck around for his other daughter. But Amy, you’re not unloved. Your mother loves you, deep down, she does, and you know it. And Lauren, your evil stepsister, she loves you, she acts like she doesn’t but she does. And Shane loves you, Amy, he loves you so much. And Liam, who loves you like a sister, who would never even accept the thought of you not being loved. And _me_. I _love_ you. I love you so deeply, and I don’t even know how, because we haven’t known each other for years, but I love you so dearly, Amy. I can’t even begin to understand why anyone wouldn’t love you, but I know one thing: I’ll love you enough so you never have to feel unloved again. If you have trouble with realizing that, we can get help. I’ll hold your hand throughout everything. I just want you to never feel unloved again. And you know why you’re never gonna become him? Because you love all of these people back.”

Amy was just so deeply grateful about everything Karma said. She would never stop feeling guilty, but she would get through it. On the good days and on the bad. Because like Karma said, she was loved by so many, and she loved back. And that was all she needed. It would take a long time to feel this less and less, but with Karma by her side, it was possible.

“I love you, too.” She admitted to Karma. She didn’t know how long it had been bubbling up inside her, but she knew it was true. She loved Karma for everything she was, and how kind she was, how good she was. Karma who would never have anyone she cares about having second thoughts about them.

Karma hugged her again, and they stood like this for a while, until Amy felt better.

“What do you say we get out of here?” Karma suggested.

“That’s a good idea.” She sniffled back.

* * *

 

“Where are we going?” Amy asked, Karma’s hand in hers and the girl steering her somewhere she didn’t know. The effect of what happened earlier was beginning to settle, and Amy started to feel like she was herself again. She thought Karma’s reaction would be so different, but perhaps Amy didn’t know her that well, if she thought the girl would turn away from her.

No. Karma wasn’t like that. Karma stayed to see things through, she was persistent. Not only for herself, but persistent to the people she cared about. Karma was the kind of person who would never leave, in the good days and in bad ones. And Amy was eternally grateful for that.

“You’ll see.” Karma replied with a grin.

“I really hope you’re not taking me to dark alleys so we can watch drug deals go down.” Amy joked, uncertain.

“Well, _now_ that you said it, I’m not gonna go there anymore.” Karma snorted. “Relax. I just figured that after you took me to your favorite places around, I should at least take you to one of mine’s.”

Amy paid attention to their path. They weren’t too far from the apartment, Amy realized. In fact, Amy recognized the way. Because she had probably made it a thousand times by now.

“Are we going to NYU?”

“Yes and no.” Amy walked alongside Karma now. She saw the physics building, but Karma made an unexpected turn, and entered on the building beside it. There was a woman on the receptionist table, and when they approached, she just stared at them from above her glasses.

“Can I help you?” She offered in a monotone voice.

“Yeah, I’m here because I forgot my textbook in the Observatory. I have a test tomorrow and I need it.” Karma lied with so much conviction that Amy wondered if that could be true.

The woman seemed doubtful, but Karma’s face was a mask of despair, so the woman bought it.

Seconds later they were entering an auditory, cramped with seats and a telescope tied to several electronics. The ceiling of the room was round and black, only a few lamps on the wall casting some light. Even all lit up, the room was still relatively dark.

Karma winked at Amy and she got it that they were supposed to be looking for the inexistent lost textbook. They began to look under some seats, occasionally yelling a ‘not here’ to each other. After fifteen minutes of this, the woman told them she had to go back to the desk, and let them alone to search for the book.

As soon as the woman left the room, Karma smiled mischievously at Amy. The girl approached the huge telescope, and started connecting some cables.

“Karma, don’t you, I don’t know, break a thousand rules by meddling with that telescope, not to mention getting expelled?”

“Only if they catch us.” Karma’s head popped from under the control panels and she shrugged. “And that isn’t going to happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I texted Shane to call and ask for a book that simply doesn’t exist, but he will make the desk lady search in every archive.” She smiled, satisfied with herself.

“And do you know how to operate that thing?” Amy pointed to the telescope.

“Of course. I did it about ten times already. The teachers ask my help sometimes.” Karma shrugged. She took a step back to admire her work. When she thought it was finished, she pressed an on switch, while the telescope initiated. She walked back to Amy with certain urgency and sat down on the auditory floor, tugging at Amy’s hand for the other girl to sit down.

“What exactly does it do?” Amy asked as she settled next to Karma.

“Basically, it’s a projector. The telescope has a lenses system installed, that way it can project the image captured to a space in the room.”

“I don’t see a screen.”

“It’s because the image is not two-dimensional. That means that if we sought to project it on a screen, we would miss too much detail.”

“What nerds.” Amy joked and that earned her a smile from Karma. She was actually waiting for something to appear in the room, she wasn’t sure exactly of what.

A minute passed. And finally, she saw it.

The room was filled of stars and nebulae. All the darkness of the room was illuminated by the image projected from the telescope. In the round ceiling, Amy saw an endless sky. It was everywhere and around them. Even on them. It was like a three dimensional map of a small part of the galaxy, and Amy understood why this was Karma’s favorite thing.

She looked at Karma, who was staring at her expectantly, and Amy let a smile sprout on her face. A smile of fascination. Karma had the same smile on her face. And stars all over her frame. Her face, her neck, all sprinkled with stars, like she was a celestial being. Amy’s favorite constellation.

And it became quite clear what she had to do in that moment.

Amy felt herself leaning in, and to her surprise, Karma didn’t back away. The girl just stared up at her, with hazel eyes illuminated by the light of an infinite number of stars. A galaxy in her eyes. Amy was gaining proximity, her cheek touching Karma’s softly. Her lip touching Karma’s, and then she finally let go.

Karma’s arms were thrown over Amy’s shoulders, pulling the girl closer, making Karma’s frame more defined. Amy had been dreaming about this moment for weeks, imagining what Karma’s lips tasted like, but whatever she conjectured was so poor comparing to that moment. That moment when she kissed Karma’s bottom lip, and ran her tongue across it, making Karma gasp and pull Amy even closer. Space became underrated, insignificant. They fit together the best way they could, colliding. Amy feeling the softness of Karma’s lips, her hand’s around Karma’s waist, grasping at the fabric of Karma’s dress.

Karma sucked at Amy’s bottom lip, making Amy go crazy with urgency, transferred to Amy’s hand caressing Karma’s hair while the other moved around Karma’s back, pulling the other girl even closer. She felt one of Karma’s hand sliding its way down her sides and under her shirt. Amy almost exploded at the contact, the tingling sensation on her stomach getting satisfyingly unbearable, the warmth of Karma’s skin in direct contact with hers was exhilarating.

They had to stop to breathe at some point. Amy’s eyes snapped open and saw Karma’s completely shut, just giving Amy everything she wanted.

And then something clicked in Amy’s head, and the moment lost its magic.

She pulled away, breathing in sharply as Karma did. The girl slowly opened her eyes, with a complete different expression from Amy. Karma was still joyous, but the moment she looked at Amy, she froze.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, concerned.

_Everything_ , Amy wanted to say. She hadn’t thought this through. Kissing Karma meant everything to her in that moment, but also cheating on Liam. Her stomach dropped. This wasn’t supposed to happen right there, with Karma still dating him. It wasn’t right, it was the shittiest situation they could’ve put themselves into. There were so many things to say in that moment, but instead, Amy didn’t say anything, she just stood there, panicking too hard to even communicate.

“I-I can’t do this, Karma.” She apologized, standing up from her place, turning her back on the other girl.

“Amy! Wait!” Karma followed her, holding her wrist until Amy turned to face her. There was so much pain in Karma’s expression, making Amy curse herself for being an idiot, but there was also anger. Resentment. “You can’t just leave!”

“I’m sorry, Karma. I fucked up.” There was an angry lump in Amy’s throat, making it hard to breathe.

“No. You’re fucking up right now. You’re leaving me here after that and you expect me to just let you go? And then I do what? I stay here and pick up the pieces?” Karma was angry, and so hurt. Amy could see it was taking everything out of the girl not to cry. Karma probably thought Amy was rejecting her, and the thought of her rejecting Karma was like a punch to Amy’s gut.

“I confused things.” She offered, but Karma was having none of it.

“ _Bullshit_ , Amy!” Karma spat the words out, getting really furious at Amy in that moment, the tears welling up in her eyes. The girl lost control of her tears, and every tear staining Karma’s face scarred Amy’s heart profoundly. “You didn’t confuse anything! We know exactly what’s happening here.” Karma was practically yelling. “Tell me this wasn’t what you wanted?”

Amy took a beat.

“ _I_ wanted this.” Karma continued. “But I’m enough of an adult to take responsibility for what happened. I know what I feel, Amy. And I love you. And I wanna be with you.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Amy replied with a low voice.

“Don’t give me that speech! You deserve me. But you’re too scared to try. I’m here, I’m baring myself to you and you’re there, running away. We can fix everything, don’t you see that?” The girl asked and her voice broke. Much like Amy’s heart. But Amy was too far to go back now.

“I need to go.” She turned to the door, turning her back on Karma, refusing to see Karma’s reaction.

“Amy, if you go out that door,” Karma said from behind her, her voice full of heartbreak but also resolve, “Don’t bother coming back. If you don’t say anything to me right now, I don’t want ever to hear anything else from you.”

Amy hesitated, her hand on the doorknob. She took a deep breath and turned it, so she could get out of the room, leaving the Observatory behind.

Leaving Karma, the person she loved the most in her life, behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO FRIENDS! sorry this was a lil bit angsty, but you know, every romcom has to have an angsty moment where the pair we love face difficult moments. i guarantee you it will be solved next chapter. and also, i do have an intuition that you will like chapter 10. i don't know, i just do. so hope you enjoyed the chapter and stick around for the next one. byeeee!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just want you all to know, before reading this chapter, that i tried. I REALLY TRIED. okay. enjoy :)

Amy felt fucking miserable.

It had been five days since she last spoke, or saw, Karma.

At first, she felt numb, and she didn’t want to do anything. Get dressed, go to college, just generally anything. She was glad Liam wasn’t there to ask what happened, and that they only spoke through text messages, otherwise he would figure out what happened and she didn’t want that. Not right now. She didn’t want to see or talk to anyone, really. However luck ran out pretty soon when, after two days of not going to NYU or replying to any of his texts, Shane pretty much invaded her apartment. He knew there was a spare key under the doormat, and he used it to get in.

In short, Shane found Amy face planting on the bed, under the covers. He made her get up, take a shower, eat something substantial (not before commenting on the chocolate bars’ wrappers and the incredible amount of ice cream pots he found in her room), and act like a normal human being. When she was done with all of that, he sat her down, and made her tell him everything that happened.

And then, the numbness was over, only the sadness staying. When she finished telling him, he had an arm slung across her back, and she was leaning in his chest, crying too much to make sense in her words.

It was bad.

It was _unbearable_. Until it became a sort of bearable unbearableness.

Her heart was shattered, but she was still standing. She caught up on her classes, she ate because no matter what happened in her life, she still loved food, she avoided every single spot that made her remember Karma - what was difficult, since lately everything reminded her of Karma -, and when she caught a glimpse of auburn hair or a patterned rucksack, her heart felt like bursting out of her ribcage. She filled herself with hope, only to have it shattered again. She had to pull herself back together soon. Liam would arrive on Tuesday, and when he saw her like that, he would find out everything. And once he did, there would be two people who couldn’t stand looking at her.

“I bought you this.” Shane said, as he settled by her side on a bench. Amy looked down at the can.

“Chocolate dipped mini-pretzels?” Her voice was flat, pretty much reflecting how she felt inside.

“It’s Godiva.” He shrugged.

“No, I know. Thank you.” Amy gave him what intended to be a smile, but probably came out as a grimace.

“If I can give you an advice-” He begun.

“I’ll take the pretzels.” Amy interrupted, taking the can from Shane’s hands. “You can keep the advice, though.”

“I’m gonna give you anyway.”

“Yeah, I had that suspicion.” Amy frowned as she opened the can and threw a pretzel in her mouth.

“I think you should talk to her, boo.” Shane had one hand on her back, running it in soothing circles.

“I’m glad I refused the advice because that wasn’t helpful at all.” She threw another pretzel in her mouth.

“First of all: share.” Shane picked up a pretzel from the can. “Second of all: seriously Amy, you need to wrap up this thing with Karma. Clearly you messed up, so you have to fix it. You need closure.”

“Shane, she actually said the words ‘if you leave the room don’t bother ever coming back’ and I fucking _left_. She doesn’t want to see me painted in gold.” Amy’s pain was pretty obvious, everyone saw the grey cloud she carried over her head and it kept people away. Not Shane. Never Shane. “She doesn’t want to see me dipped in chocolate. Ok? That’s enough closure.”

“Amy, she loves you.” Shane stared at her with a serious look, and Amy felt squeamish. Shane rarely was as dead serious as he was now. She respected that look on Shane more than any scold she ever got from her mom or from Liam. “If you want to make things right, she’ll give you a chance.”

“She shouldn’t.” Amy retorted.

“But she will. Because we are all big idiots when we’re in love. She shouldn’t give you another chance, but she will, because she wants to know what happened. And because she wants _you_.”

“I haven’t even seen her around.”

“No wonder. You never go to the Physics building anymore, and she never comes here. But I have seen her. It’s heart breaking. She’s wretched.”

“I’m fucking miserable, Shane. The most miserable I have been in my life.” She confessed, and she knew Shane had science of that. He was the one making the effort to put her together.

“Then why don’t you talk to her?” Shane inquired, frustrated. “This can be worked out, Amy. She’s not lost to you.” He took Amy’s hand and squeezed it. “Don’t _lose her_.”

Amy held his gaze. Before, when she was falling for Karma, she couldn’t imagine living without the girl anymore. Karma was a constant presence in her thoughts, and in her life, physically. And once she got used to Karma always being around, not only in thought, but next to her, _for_ her, the longing only became worse. She had been getting a glimpse of what life without Karma felt like, and she couldn’t take it. It was too much, too dull. It’s not that Amy felt like she was disappearing, but the colors in her life were a little less bright. She didn’t feel like a part of her heart had been broken, but it was working well and healthy, and it didn’t have anyone to give love to. Like a machine that worked without a purpose. And the absence. The absence was the worst of all things. Amy never liked the notion that when you’re in love everything is about the person you love, she didn’t want this parasitic relationship in her life. But there were so many things she would like to share with Karma. Good things and bad things. Things that would make her smile, things that would get her pensive. Because the point of loving someone else is not having a universe built around that person, eventually that bites you in the ass. The point of loving someone else is to build a universe _with_ that person, and it has a lot of you but a lot of them, _together_.

She didn’t want to lose Karma, she couldn’t imagine what would be like losing Karma. There would be this whole universe they built up along these weeks, these months, slowly but surely, and if Amy lost Karma, she would be in that universe alone. And that was not an option.

She wasn’t going to lose Karma.

She stood up from the table abruptly.

“What are you doing?” Shane asked, a glimpse of shock in his eyes for seeing his words had some reaction.

“I’m not losing Karma.” She answered like it was the most obvious thing. She didn’t even stick around to hear whatever Shane said behind her, she just kept stepping forward.

 

Five minutes later, she waited outside of the Physics building.

No signs of Karma.

Amy saw one of Karma’s classmates and approached to ask him about the girl. He said she hadn’t come to class that day.

Amy thanked him and evaluated her options. She could stroll down to Karma’s place, but Karma might not even let her in. She could call her, but she doubted Karma would answer. Finally, she thought about texting her. That way, she knew if Karma was open to conversation, and that wouldn’t put too much pressure on the girl. Giving her time to think if she really wanted to see Amy.

She picked up the phone and typed a quick text.

_‘Hi. We should talk. Can you meet me?’_

She looked at the time. It was 3:17 p.m on Friday. Amy would wait for Karma to check her message. If Karma didn’t answer until the following day, she would send another, and if Karma still avoided the messages, on Monday she would wait up outside the building like she had done today. Karma couldn’t avoid college forever.

* * *

 

It was 11 p.m. on Friday.

Karma didn’t answer.

But Amy put on makeup and chose a nice dress, because she was going out with Shane. A party. Amy was sure this was probably the fifth party she had attended in about one and a half years.

Shane picked her up at the combined time. The weather was terrible, big dark clouds announcing the upcoming storm, so he took a cab. Inside, Ashton was waiting and waved at her.

They made up conversation in the car while they made their way to the club, Amy could only think about how the weather reflected her mood. When they got there and got inside, Shane prompted himself to buy drinks for everyone. But Amy didn’t feel like drinking, so she refused. She didn’t feel like dancing, but Shane convinced her to dance for at least five minutes. She didn’t feel festive, because her life was a train wreck in the moment. She could barely talk to Liam as well, since he had picked up something was wrong already. Soon enough she would crack and tell him everything, and he would repel her immediately. She had to at least fix one good relationship in her life before ruining the other.

Rounding up to midnight, Amy couldn’t stand being in the club anymore. The loud thumps of the beat irritating her in a way never before seen. The indirect lightning and the people drinking and laughing and generally having a good time irking Amy profoundly.

She was faking it. She was an impostor, pretending to not be falling apart in that moment. And she couldn’t stand being there for another minute.

Amy walked up to Shane in the dance floor and told him she was going home. He didn’t protest much, knowing that this seemed very likely due to Amy’s recent state, he just offered to go outside and put her on a cab. When Amy refused, he pleaded that she would at least call him when she got home. Amy agreed with that.

Out of the club, the weather was furious, making rain copious amounts of water in harsh drops that made loud noises when it hit puddles and the ceiling of neighboring establishments.

She didn’t feel like taking a cab. There was a subway station right across the street. And the water was calling Amy, talking to her, reflecting her troubled decisions she had made currently. So she stepped out, and felt the water dripping on her, drenching her hair and her overcoat in a few minutes, feeling comfort in the rain.

And shortly after, she was turning the corner of her street, with keys in hand. As she approached her building, she saw it. A figure seating on the steps, chin on hands, looking at the other way.

She saw _her_.

“You didn’t answer my text.” It was the first thing Amy said. It was the first thing on her tongue. Amy was a few steps away, still in the rain while Karma sat down under the marquee.

Karma turned around, caught off guard, and stood up. “Amy?! What are you doing in the rain? You’re gonna get a bad cold, pneumonia, even.”

That was so incredibly Karma. She could be furious with Amy, she could never want to see her again, but she cared. Still. She cared. And amongst the things that made Amy fall in love with her, this one played a big part.

“I’m sorry.” Amy blurted out. She had been wanting to say that for days now. She had been wanting to say that since she left the Observatory.

Karma’s expression became a little harsher. “Just tell me why. _Why_ did you leave me there?” Amy could hear the hurt in the girl’s voice, and it stung her worse than anything.

“I love you, Karma. And it all began in the coffee shop. I started to fall for you right then, I thought it was a crush. And then I actually got to meet you, and spend time with you, and I realized it was so much bigger than that.”

“Why did you never tell me?” The girl demanded, forcefully.

“Because Liam was there first. Because he met you first. Because we spent a whole afternoon picking up cardboard boxes for you, and he was happy to do it. And I wanted to see him happy. Because he deserved you first.”

“It wasn’t up to you to decide that, Amy!” Karma stepped out in the rain, her braid dismantling under the heavy drops. “It was up to me! I deserve to have a say in who I fall in love with.”

“I fucked up, Karma. I am so sorry! But it was the right thing to do!” They were practically yelling, but only half because they were angry at each other, they talked so loud because the noise of the rain was gaining on them. And it was kind of liberating, throwing these words out in the open, let them be washed by the water.

“The right thing to do was let me know! You decided everything for everyone, and you made it more difficult than it had to be. You took away _my choice_. I could have choose Liam if you told me that, did that ever cross your mind?”

“I-I didn’t say because I supposed you’d choose him.” Amy admitted in a small voice.

“But you are so wrong, Amy!” Karma laughed, frustrated. “I would choose you. I am choosing you right now. I waited for three hours in the rain like an idiot, I have been choosing you over and over again.” Her hand came up so she could pull a soaked strand of hair out of her eye. “I chose you the moment I met you in the coffee shop, and I chose you on the roof, and in the botanic garden, in the theater, in the afternoons I spent with you on your couch. Still stripped of my choice, I choose you. Can’t you see that?”

“Karma, I don’t-“ Amy’s heart was thumping loudly in her ribcage, menacing to thrash out.

“I love you!” Karma approached. She was at an arm’s length away from Amy now.

“But we can’t stay together, Karma.”

“I broke up with Liam.” Karma threw at her, and Amy couldn’t believe that. “I broke up with him because I don’t love him. I like him, I could even love him, as a friend. But because I love you. I don’t want anyone else, Amy. I want you.” Karma looked down and crossed her arms on her chest, sheltering herself from the cold raindrops, and from Amy’s reaction.

“Why?” It was all she could ask, the lump in her throat making it hard to form words. “Why do you love me?”

“You’re everything.” Karma said, gazing at her, the hazel eyes Amy loved more than anything were clear, like it was the most obvious thing in the universe.

This was it. This was the now or never moment. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Karma was there, baring herself to her, saying all the things Amy once hoped to hear. There wasn’t Liam there to hold her back anymore. It was the moment Amy needed to decide if she let Karma – the girl that she loved more than anything - go, and now for good, or if she would hold on to her. It was simple as this.

And Amy held on. She held on for dear life.

Amy closed the distance between them, embracing Karma’s hips, taking the girl’s lips on hers. Karma melted right there, under Amy’s mouth, her hands buried in Amy’s soaked hair.

* * *

 

They kissed feverishly, with urgency, all the words left unsaid diluting on their lips.They went upstairs, alternating between kisses and bites and suckles as Amy opened the door.  They let their coats on the living room and kicked their shoes off, not bothering to dry the watery trail they left behind them. Their clothes and their hair still dripping. It didn’t matter. All that matter was Karma and Amy, and how Karma moaned under Amy’s mouth.

They stumbled into Amy’s bedroom. Karma was already tugging at Amy’s dress. Amy lift her arms up so the other girl could take it off. Once Karma did, they resumed kissing. They giggled between kisses, like they weren’t believing how lucky they were. Amy got rid of Karma’s blouse, and her bra followed. Her hands made a trail, feeling the soft warm skin of Karma’s clavicle. The girl had goosebumps and Amy could feel it on the tip of her fingers. Amy took her own bra off now, making contact with Karma’s warm, bare skin. Never in a hundred years, Amy would imagine she would feel anything as right as that moment.

Her hands were everywhere on Karma, she wanted to feel every bit of her. She caressed a path from Karma’s bare back, onto the space of Karma’s ribs and the girl’s front, feeling Karma’s abs under her palms, and onto her chest, stopping on her heart.

Karma kissed Amy urgently, she kissed Amy’s chin, her neck, devilishly sucking at the bottom of it, making a gasp sprout from Amy’s lips. She wanted to taste every bit of skin of Amy’s. And the sounds were like a fuel to Karma, who kept going. She finally kissed Amy’s breasts, Amy threw her head back and pulled the girl even closer, and pulling Karma hips flush with her own. She panted in a pleasant, because the contact felt so good.

It was huge. It was _monumental_. And it was also right.

“Are you sure?” Amy asked, her breathing sharp. Karma pulled away to look at Amy’s eyes.

“Yes.” She replied, the word dropping from her mouth with no room for doubts. She looked at Amy intently, waiting for a confirmation. The other girl nodded, with as much certainty as Karma. A soft smile sprouting from Amy’s lips. They deserved this. They deserved each other. They had been waiting all this time.

And now the wait was over.

Amy led Karma to her bed. Everything taking a different dimension than the day they slept there, absentmindedly. This was more important, this was better.

Karma reclined on the bed, and Amy was over her. Kissing her mouth gently, and then her neck, being thorough, making Karma produce gasps and moans whenever she hit a good spot. Leaving red marks on Karma’s skin, and Karma seemed to approve. Amy began to make her way down, caressing Karma’s breasts, playing with her nipples, kissing the space between them, and then Karma’s stomach until she was on Karma’s hips. Her hands descended Karma’s sides, unbuttoning the girl’s jeans and throwing them far behind them. Amy’s fingers were on the waistband of Karma’s panties and she took it off gently and painfully slow.

Amy took Karma in, her bare self. Karma was beautiful. All of Karma. Outside and inside, just the way she was. And Amy wouldn’t have it any other way.

She entwined their hands. Karma was breathing sharply underneath her, and Amy was a mirror. Amy could hear the girl’s breath becoming heavier as she kissed the insides of Karma’s thighs, sucking here and there a little bit, making Karma tremble with anticipation. She stared up at Karma, and when the girl held her gaze, she went all in. She tested Karma, licking the girl’s folds, making Karma shudder, making her hazel eyes go dark with desire.

Amy kept going, lapping at Karma sloppily, flattening her tongue. From above her, Karma moaned and Amy felt the fire building up inside her, settling in. Making her bones go alight with desire. The throbbing between Amy’s thighs increasing.

“Amy.” That was all Karma said, her voice hoarse with lust. It was a statement, it was a declaration.

Amy explored Karma’s center, finding out which spots she licked that made Karma feel good, finding out which point made Karma moan her name. Amy catalogued that sound as her favorite. She found a particular spot that made Karma inhale sharply, her free hand holding Amy’s head in place, buried in her blonde hair. Amy looked up, and that’s when she saw Karma’s face of utter shock and pleasure. She grinned at Karma maliciously, stopping licking at her.

Karma looked down at her, almost offended that she chose that exact time to stop. “Amy, fuck.” Karma’s voice was hoarse with want and urgency. That was all the other girl could say. She was pleading.

And Amy indulged.

She circled her tongue around Karma’s clit. Karma’s breathing becoming harsher by the minute, her moans more frequent, when Amy looked up she saw the other girl had an arm thrown over her eyes and her teeth biting hard on her bottom lip. It was the hottest single thing Amy had ever seen.

She felt Karma’s shudder everywhere, under her tongue and on the hand she was holding. And that was all the warning she got. She licked Karma through her climax, and Karma pulled her up so she could kiss her on the mouth. Karma’s cheeks were red and the raindrops drying on her forehead meddled with sweat. Her kiss was dirty, urgent and delicious.

Karma flipped them around the bed with dexterity. Now Amy was under. Karma’s lips left Amy’s mouth, and hovered above her breasts. She spent her time on each, making Amy arch her back to give the girl better access. Karma’s left hand was on Amy’s, holding her still. She straddled the girl, her two legs between Amy’s thigh. She rode the girl up and down, making her feel how moist Karma still was, Amy’s free hand was on Karma’s back, gripping at the girl’s butt.

Karma was ruthless, and Amy loved it. She sucked at the skin of Amy’s neck, leaving a red, angry mark that Amy was sure would become an ugly hickey in the next morning. Karma chuckled dirtily when Amy let out a small gasp of protest. She kissed the skin of Amy’s stomach, letting her teeth graze softly at the skin of Amy’s hips. Her free hand trailed down Amy’s body feeling the girl’s soft, warm skin, stopping at her knickers. Her hand hovered above for a minute, and Karma stopped kissing Amy to gaze at her.

She was in control, and Amy was more than happy to oblige. The sheer plead on Amy’s eyes made the girl smile, a smile full of mischief.

After a moment, she finally pushed Amy’s panties aside. Karma massaged Amy’s clit, and the girl let out a loud moan from how much she loved the contact. Karma’s fingers circled around the entrance of Amy’s pussy, and Amy knew how wet she must have been. When she held her breath sharply, Karma slipped one finger in. Amy sucked her breath in, and on her lips, Karma giggled. The other girl smiled as well, all the weight being released from their shoulders. This was everything in the moment. Amy didn’t allow herself to register anything else on the world other than Karma’s mouth on hers and Karma’s gentle but thorough fingers inside her. Karma stopped kissing her every now and then so she could gaze at Amy’s eyes, watching her face through different stages of desire. And Karma seemed to like the reaction she was getting.

Karma put in one more finger, and Amy arched up her hips to give the girl better access. Karma fingered her, ruthlessly, knowing exactly which point to touch, like they had done this before. Amy could only thrust harder against Karma’s hand, to a point where she didn’t know if she was being fingered by the girl, or if she was fucking Karma’s hand into oblivion. She hit a particular spot that made Amy moan Karma’s name loudly, and then Karma’s lips were on hers again, drinking up her moan, their hands entwined above them.

Karma slowed down the pace, going easier on Amy, making the girl thrust even harder on her hand. Amy’s skin was on fire, only registering Karma’s touch and how badly she wanted even more.

“Karma, please.” That was all Amy managed to say. And Karma obliged, pressing at Amy’s favorite spot with two fingers, her thumb circling on Amy’s clit.

Before they knew, Amy was coming undone. She climaxed calling out Karma’s name. Karma pulled away and licked her fingers clean with an innocent grin, and that alone made Amy die a thousand little happy deaths.

She finally settled beside Amy, their breathing going back to steady, only now realizing how cold the room was. Their beforehand shivers having nothing to do with the temperature. Amy pulled the comforter over them. Karma lay down her head on the girl’s arm, and they stared at each other for a while, smiling like idiots.

“Woah.” Karma sighed, satisfied.

“I know.” Amy agreed, still panting.

“You’re welcome.” Karma joked, tapping the girl on her shoulder.

They giggled. They were a giggling mess. Their happiness too broad to be contained in the room right then.

Amy stretched just enough to kiss Karma’s forehead.

“I missed you.” Karma admitted.

“I missed you too. Let’s never do that again.”

“What? The fighting in the rain or the sex?” Karma joked.

Amy snorted and threw a pillow at Karma. “Shut up, you’re such a buttface.”

“But you love me.” The other girl shrugged.

“I do.” Amy admitted and Karma kissed her on the lips. A tender, lovingly kiss.

They fell silent, finally taking comfort in their happiness. In that moment, Amy knew they were sharing the universe they had built. Amy shut her eyes and heard Karma’s easy breathing, loving the sound and the feeling of Karma cuddled next to her. Karma was happy. They were happy.

And finally Amy slept without a worry in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO FRIENDS!!1 finally this shit got r-rated heck yeah. anyway, this was my first time writing smut and i'm so sorry if it sounds artificial or cliché. you know. but i figured they needed to get some lovin' after all that terrible angst. anyway, i hope you enjoyed reading this. and thank you so much for your feedback, it's so awesome! thanks a lot. also, if you can see up there on the chapter indications, i updated it for 12 chapters. yes friends, we're walking up to the end of this story. it's gonna make me hella nostalgic after it's over, damn, it's making me nostalgic right now. okay, that's it i guess. byeeeee!
> 
> (as always, i'm captainclarkes on tumblr)


	11. Chapter 11

“ _How lovely._ ”

Amy’s eyes snapped open. Her instant reaction was to look at a half awake Karma. She sat up straight immediately as she heard the voice, with the comforter wrapped around them both.

“Liam?” She said, her voice came out trembling and she was shocked as she looked at the guy, who was standing up by the porch of her room, luggage still in hand. Looking like Amy had stabbed him in the back a thousand times. Liam looked terrible. He had his scruff out of control and dark purple circles under his eyes. He wasn’t taking the breakup too well. And she immediately felt like it was all her fault. “What are you doing here today?”

“Apparently, ruining your fun.” Liam spat out angrily. Karma was fully awake now, she sat behind Amy, too shocked to say anything. Amy felt Karma’s hand slowly being placed on her shoulder, a display of support of Karma’s part. Liam didn’t miss the gesture, his expression of pure betrayal and hurt.

“We can explain.” Amy offered and Liam scoffed.

“Explain what? Why you’re _fucking my girlfriend_?” Liam practically yelled. “I don’t want to hear it, Amy. I’m gonna get my things and go. I’m not the asshole who will ask you to move out.” Liam spat out furiously and then took a beat and shook his head. “I thought I meant more to you.” He said miserably, and the sheer hurt in his face made Amy feel nauseous.

Her heart was thrashing in her chest, full of anxiety. As Liam left the room, Amy stood up from the bed, putting on the first sweats she found. Karma asked her something, but the pumping of her heart on her ears made impossible for her to hear it. Ignoring the girl, Amy followed him.

“Liam, please, let me explain.” She pleaded.

“I don’t want to hear your explanations, Amy.” He replied, furiously. And then he abruptly stopped, looking at her and grimacing. He opened his mouth and hesitated, considering a question for a while. “Just tell me how long this has been going on.”

“Liam, I swear I-“

“I’m not stupid, Amy!” His rage was back. “Tell me how long have you been doing this? This week? A month ago? Since you two fucking went to that rooftop?!”

“It happened yesterday!” Amy replied, the tears stinging her eyes badly. “You guys are broken up, I would never do anything if that meant she was cheating on you. Neither would Karma. I’m your friend, Liam!”

“Some friend.” Amy realized for a second that his eyes were red. This was her worst nightmare happening right in front of her eyes. “I love her, Amy. You knew that.”

“But I don’t love you, Liam.” Amy was so caught up on her own anxiety that she hadn’t noticed Karma, standing right behind her.

“Clearly you don’t, because the second I’m away you fuck my best friend! We are best friends for more than ten years! It doesn’t mean anything to you, or to her, apparently,” He pointed at Amy, “but to me, it does.” He sighed. “It _did_ , at least.

“I love her, Liam.” Amy confessed. Whatever he said, she had to tell him the truth. Of course it broke her heart that everything happened this way, but now that the band-aid was ripped, everything should be out in the open.

Liam stood still for a second, digesting Amy’s words. His fury was all gone now, and when he looked at Amy, there was only disappointment there. He nodded quietly. “I understand. I am the spare here. But you don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m leaving right now.”

“Let’s work this out.”

“There’s nothing to be worked out here, Amy. Why didn’t you tell me anything before you backstabbed me like this? You had countless opportunities. You knew what you were doing.” Liam approached and turned to Karma. “If you were in love with her, why didn’t you say ‘no’ when I asked you to date me?” He snorted. “And I caught an early plane because when you told me we were done, I still thought I had some chance.”

And with that, he was out, carrying his luggage with him, leaving Amy completely torn in the middle of the living room. Karma hugged her from behind, but she was too ashamed to look at the girl.

“What can I do?” She asked, kissing Amy’s neck.

“I just-“ Amy began aimlessly. “I wanna be alone now.” She sniffled.

“Okay.” Karma said, nodding. When Amy turned to face her, the girl was grimacing. She had hurt her. That was fucking great. Apparently Amy was just on a roll, hurting everyone around her today. “I’m gonna leave.”

Karma walked to the door, grabbing her jacket that was still on the floor since the other night, and stopped for a second to look back at her. “Just- Call me, okay? When you process everything. I can’t do this getting together and breaking up all the time. I want you, Amy, but you have to make up your mind.” Karma sighed. Her eyes full of tenderness and sadness. When she spoke, it was so quiet and so full of heartache. “Please, call me.” Karma let out like a prayer. She shut the door behind her, leaving Amy alone in the deafening silence of the apartment.

She wanted to go after Karma more than anything, but she also wanted to go after Liam. It felt too close to choosing one over the other. Liam was her brother, and Karma was the love of her life. She didn’t want to say goodbye to either, and it seemed too much like that was happening.

An advice her mother had given her suddenly popped in her head. She first heard it when her mom explained why her father left. Amy was holding back with all she had not to cry, because she didn’t want to seem weak, but her mother hugged her and told her to cry because tears wash the soul.

Amy took that advice now. She cried, too bundled up in her desolation to do anything else. The two most important people in her life walked out on her. Well, Liam did, and then she proceeded to ask Karma to leave. She felt so incredibly powerless. So she did something she hadn’t done in a very long time.

She picked up her phone and dialed a number. A familiar voice on the other side of the line picked up.

“Mommy.” Amy cried on the phone.

* * *

She told her mother everything. From beginning to end, and Farrah listened, without interruptions. And she cried, she cried a lot. She rarely took advice from her mother, but in extreme situations, her mother helped. Amy felt like she was a child again, making a mess out of everything, so it was comforting to have someone say everything was going to be okay.

Her mother asked if she wanted her to fly out from Dallas and spend some time with her in New York, but Amy refused. She had to fix her mistakes. Farrah just told her to take a breather, because she had time to solve everything out. She took that advice as well.

It took her a week.

Her eyes were puffy from all the crying. But she got up, and she had breakfast, and she went to college, and she pulled herself together. Her heart was still aching in her chest, and her head hurt terribly, but she decided she would fix things with Liam. She hadn’t heard of him or Karma for a full week. She never had felt so alone in her life. But there was still someone who she could talk to, so she dialed his number.

_“Hey, boo, what’s up?”_ Shane answered on the line.

“Do you know where Liam’s staying?”

Shane stood silent for a moment. _“I don’t want to get in trouble for this, but yeah.”_

“Good. Can you take me there?”

_“Do you think this is a good idea?”_

“I just need to talk to him, Shane. Please.” Her voice cracked at the request and she could practically picture Shane on the other side of the line, hand clutching at his chest, as if someone had just told him the most heartbreaking thing ever.

_“I’ll be there in ten.”_

And he was. Partly of why Amy got through the week was because Shane was there with her, even his silent company was comforting, and he understood her. And she was eternally afraid of messing things up with him, too.

Shane parked his car in front of a small hotel, and they entered the building, the whole time Shane had his hand on Amy’s back, as if saying he was there to hold her together. And Amy was thankful for this.

“You have to tell him you’re alone. He won’t want to see me if I tell him I’m here.”

Shane grimaced but nodded. “Okay.” He gave the receptionist the room number, and after a minute, she sent them up.

Shane knocked on the door, and Liam answered immediately. When he saw Amy, he made a movement to shut the door, but Shane had his foot on the way to keep the door open.

“Stop being a child, Liam. Let us in.” The guy told him, and it had effect, because Liam backed up from the door, letting it hang open.

“What are you doing here?” He asked Amy, but the fury on his voice was gone. If anything, he only seemed tired.

“I want to fix things.” Amy told him with sincerity.

“It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” He chucked dryly.

“I never wanted you to find out this way, Liam. I planned to tell you I liked Karma, from the start. But you were so happy, and I couldn’t stand ruining that, like I inevitably did.”

“You could have told me anything, Amy. I am your friend, I am your brother.” He replied, destroyed.

“I didn’t want to ruin things.” Amy sighed in exasperation at herself, running her hands through her hair. “I knew you loved her, and I tried to stay away. I did everything I could, but you don’t choose the person you’re gonna fall in love with, and even if I could choose, I would choose her.”

Liam nodded. “I can’t believe I made you go through all of this. We are better than that.”

“You have always been there for me, Liam. I don’t want to lose my brother. I look at you and I have all these memories. I remember us playing catch when we were kids, I remember how you stood up with me all night when my father left. You were there in every step of the way, and I don’t want to have a life where you don’t fit.” Tears were full on running on her face, and on Liam’s. “Please don’t make me live a life where you don’t fit.”

Liam stood up from where he sat on the bed, and crossed the room to hold her. They held each other tight, all of the bad blood going away. “You suck at playing catch.” He sniffled and Amy let out a teary laugh. “You’re nothing like your father, hear me? I know you didn’t say that, but I know you’re thinking that. You are nothing like him.”

Shane was in the corner watching the whole exchange going down in silence, he had his hands over his chest. “I swear to God if you fight ever again, I’m gonna take the matter to my own hands and I’ll put you two on time out.”

They all laughed, and Amy pulled away from the hug, giving Liam friendly taps on his back.

“How are things with you and Karma?” Liam asked, sincere.

“They aren’t. I haven’t spoken to her since the day we fought.” She admitted.

“You love her a lot, don’t you?”

Amy nodded sheepishly. “I do.”

“Then you gotta fix things with her.”

“I’m planning to drop by tomorrow.”

“Oh, no, boo, don’t you know?” Shane interrupted them, seeming distressed. “Karma’s leaving.”

“What?!” Amy blurted out. “Shane, what the fuck! You knew about that and you didn’t tell me?”

“First of all: I was going to tell you today, but you were going to make peace with Liam, so I thought, you know-“

“You thought _it_ could wait? She’s leaving Shane. She’s going away!” Amy nearly shouted.

 “She texted me yesterday evening, okay?! And I didn’t know she hadn’t tell you. I thought she would’ve. Anyway, she said she was leaving today afternoon. Her flight departures at six.”

Amy scanned the room and found a clock. It was 4:45. “Which airport?”

“JFK.” Shane shrugged.

“We have about an hour to get there.” She calculated.

Liam threw her something from across the room. Amy looked down at the key of Liam’s Mercedes in her hand. Of all the things, Liam never let her drive his car. Simply because no one could touch that car, or Liam had a minor coronary. She looked up at him with disbelief.

“It’s your girl, Raudenfeld.” Liam declared, a friendly smirk on his face. “Go get her.”

He didn’t have to say anything else. “Thank you.” She said, eternally grateful at her best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends!!! here is yet another chapter. i hope you liked this one, and don't forget, on wednesday the last chapter comes out. i'm looking forward for you guys to read it and see what you think. this one was more of a build up chapter but i hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. and thank you so so much for your messages and comments and kudos. you guys are the best. okay, this is all i guess. see you on wednesday. byeeeeeee!!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> friends!! i'm so sorry to update so late! i've been out all day, doing college-y things and then i studied a bit bc it's hella necessary. so anyway. with you, the last chapter of "She's Got A Boyfriend Anyway". enjoy :)

And then they were out, sprinting to where Liam’s car was parked. Jumping in the car, Amy revving up the engine, quickly pulling out of the garage.

She was driving like a madwoman. She had to. She couldn’t lose Karma again, she screwed up enough for a lifetime. So many things could go wrong. The police could pull her over, she could arrive a little after Karma already went in the gate. She didn’t want to think about that.

“I’m gonna make it in time.” She muttered to herself under her breath. She pulled her phone out and tried ringing Karma, but the girl didn’t answer. She didn’t know if Karma simply hadn’t heard the phone ringing or was purposefully ignoring her. “Oh, come on, Karma!”

“Try to not get us killed, please.” Shane was by her side, holding onto the handle for dear life. “I will be pissed at you in the afterlife if my face gets maimed.”

Liam instructed Amy from the backseat, telling her which way was less jammed.

They made it to the airport in forty-five minutes. Shane wasn’t a religious person, but he thanked all the gods he could think of when he set foot on land. They were still running, Amy leading them, until she reached the information desk. They found out they were in the wrong part of the airport, which basic led them into a marathon of running around gates. They spent fifteen minutes at it, until they found the right one.

Amy checked the flight board and saw Karma’s flight was on time. She looked around the large space looking for a flash of auburn hair, but she didn’t find it. Her heart was menacing to give out on her chest, but she kept pushing. She kept running.

“Excuse me, has the flight to Austin began boarding?” She asked the lady from the airline company.

“Only the preferential group, and the first class.” The woman answered promptly.

Amy turned to the guys. “I don’t know in which group she is. She’s not here, so she might as well have boarded the plane already.”

“Try calling her.” Liam suggested.

“I’ll call, she might not pick up if you do.” Shane intervened.

Amy nodded as her friend dialed Karma’s number.

“It’s out of reach.” Shane informed them, putting the cellphone back in his jeans.

“ _Fuck_.” Amy ran her hands through her hair. “She could’ve gone anywhere, she could be inside the plane, or in the restroom or buying magazines. We don’t have time to search everywhere.”

She looked around thinking of a way to get Karma’s attention. Amy walked back to the company’s desk.

“Can you use the speakers to call a passenger?” Amy asked the desk lady with urgency.

“I’m sorry, I can’t.” She replied politely.

“Please?!” Liam was behind her and Shane looked at the woman with the biggest pleading eyes. “She’s my sister, we need to talk to her but she isn’t picking up her phone.”

“You need to talk with the airport administration. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.” The woman shrugged.

There wasn’t enough time to talk to the administration. Amy cracked her knuckles and shot Liam a look. He instantly knew what that look meant.

Lucy Armstrong, sixth grade, talent show. Amy was waiting to go up stage to present her yo-yo routine, but Lucy Armstrong was still going full on her “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” vocalizations. Fifteen minutes, and Lucy Armstrong was still singing a song that wasn’t even a minute long. She was stealing time from Amy’s routine, so Amy shot Liam the same look. They needed to create a diversion to get Lucy Armstrong of that stage. That’s how Liam stepped on the assistant teacher’s foot, and the man let the curtains drop. Liam ran all the way up to Lucy Armstrong, and carried her off to the other side of the stage, and when the curtains were up again, Amy finally could perform.

He got Amy’s plan as soon as Amy shot him that look.

“Follow my lead.” Amy heard him say to Shane, just behind her.

There was a pile of bags behind the woman’s desk, just for prop purposes. Liam noticed that, and he posted himself right by it, Shane followed, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

Amy heard them before she saw what they did. With a loud noise, Liam was on the floor, the bags everywhere. Shane pretended to help him get up, but Liam smartly kept falling over the bags, making an even bigger mess.

“What the fu-“ The woman in the desk left her post, rushing to help them. This was the window Amy needed.

She slid herself across the desk and grabbed the microphone. “Karma!” Amy heard her own voice echoing in the airport’s sound system. “Karma Ashcroft, this is Amy. Where are you?” She looked around, trying to find Karma.

“What do you think you’re doing!” The woman raged stepping furiously towards Amy, but Liam and Shane stepped in her way, and when she tried to contour them, they moved, blocking the passage.

“I’m sorry, lady, but we can’t let you pass!” Liam told her, his arms stretched out to impose a barrier to the woman.

“Karma, please!” Amy continued. “I know you don’t want to talk to me, and I know I’ve made a mistake and I’ve been a huge buttface, but I _love you_. I want us to be together, more than anything. Please give me a chance! I can possibly go to jail for doing what I’m doing, but it doesn’t matter. If this is what it takes for you to not board that plane, then I don’t mind it. You are my soulmate!” Amy said with conviction, her eyes skimming every face that entered her vision.

The securities were coming, running down the hallway. “Amy,” Liam whined looking back at her, “We can’t hold off much longer!”

“But I would like to speak to you without having to go to jail, if I could have a say in this.” Amy was still searching, but there were no signs of Karma. Her stomach dropped when the girl showed no signs of coming to meet them. “Liam, Shane,” Amy called them, exhausted. “Let her go.”

They did, and the woman sprinted past them, stepping hard. “You’re gonna get in trouble for this.” She spat the words at Amy, straightening her jacket.

“Should we run?” Shane asked when Amy joined them.

“No. What if she’s coming?”

“I don’t know, Ames. Doesn’t seem like it.” Liam grimaced. “Maybe she boarded already.”

The securities were closer now, approaching them, telling them to stay in place. They took out the cuffs. Amy felt her arms being pulled harshly behind her back.

And then she saw her. Karma.

She had a packet of Hershey’s Kisses in a hand, coat hanging on the other, guitar case strapped on her back. She sprinted towards them. Her cheeks flushed and her auburn hair curls falling behind her back with the speed, the look in her eyes called to Amy, making her insides twist with hope. The guys saw it, too.

Amy looked at Liam. They couldn’t just escape from the police. _That_ would definitely put them in jail. But they had to think of something, come up with a way to not get arrested. Liam did.

“Can I call my father about this? I think he would really like to hear it.”

“Unless you’re the son of Bill Gates, I don’t think your daddy can help you.” The officer that cuffed Liam scoffed.

“No. I’m not the son of Bill Gates, but I’m the son of the CEO at Skwerkel’s.” Liam smirked. “Now how would my dad like that?”

The officers looked at each other, deciding if he was bluffing or not.

“You can contact them. They’ll tell you who I am.” He pressed.

The guards decided Liam was telling the truth. “You’re not going to walk out of this. We’re gonna check it. And you come with us.”

They began steering them away, to what Amy supposed would be the airport jail. She looked back at Karma who had stopped running. “Karma!” Amy struggled to talk to the girl, because the officer kept pushing her forward. “Wait for me! Don’t get on the plane!”

The officer didn’t admit Amy saying any words anymore, but she managed a last look at Karma, and she saw the girl nodding.

* * *

 

“You’re a lucky bunch.” The captain in charge of airport security took off their cuffs, one by one. “We can’t charge you for anything other than disrupting public order. But you aren’t exactly a threat. I don’t think stealing a mic for three minutes impose as a serious offence.”

“Kanye West stole a microphone for longer than that and no one arrested _him_.” Shane complained, massaging his wrists.

“Son,” The captain began. “I have no idea who that person is. But this is a serious airport, and you all are gonna serve as an example.” He pointed at the three of them. “You’re gonna have to go to court in said date. But from what I know, you’re gonna pay a ticket, probably. A thousand dollars each, maybe.” He shrugged.

“Can we go now?” Liam asked, getting up from the chair.

“Yes, you may. And if I ever see you causing trouble in this airport again, you’re banned from the JFK International Airport.”

They nodded, and an officer saw them out.

Outside, Karma was waiting. When they got out of the police station, she turned to face them. Amy was puzzled by the look on the girl’s face. She didn’t know if Karma was furious about this whole shenanigans, but she settled for it. Amy still had a part of her brain that admired how the other girl looked. She wore her hair in a different style, and it left Amy in utter awe how incredibly beautiful Karma was. Even when she looked at Amy like she wanted to kill her.

Liam squeezed Amy’s shoulder in a reassuring gesture and Shane gave her a discreet thumbs up, and with that, they left the girls alone.

“I see you worked things out with Liam.”

“I did.” Amy nodded.

“Breaking the law again.” Karma shook her head disapprovingly.

“It’s a bad habit.” Amy shrugged, trying to break the tension.

“Like being indecisive and an asshole sometimes?”

Amy took the words like a slap to the face, but Karma was right. “I am so incredibly sorry, Karma.”

“You always say that.” Karma scoffed.

“What do you want me to say? I-“

Karma cut her abruptly. “What I want you to say? Gee, Amy, I don’t know. How about why the fuck you never called? You wanted to talk. You came all this way, stopped me from getting into a flight and almost got yourself arrested. So, talk. Tell me why you stopped me going in that plane.”

Amy took in a deep breath. “You remember when you asked me if I believed in soul mates? I didn’t. For a long time, at least. But when we’re apart, there’s always something calling me back to you. All of the stardust that made me, through ages, wants me to be with you, to collide with you. I can’t let you leave, Karma. Not when I know better.”

“Why didn’t you call?” Karma’s voice was less furious and more hurt by the minute.

“I needed to sort things out with Liam. And I needed to sort things out with you. But I also needed to sort things out with _myself_. I want this to work, Karma. I want us to work, and I can’t fail. And I needed sometime to convince myself I’m not my father. I won’t walk out on you. Never again. If you want to turn your back away and leave, you can, but I’m not giving up. If you stay, I’m gonna be the happiest person in the galaxy, and you of all people know how galaxies are immense, and I’m gonna love you the best I can, without holding anything back anymore. You’re everything, Karma.”

Karma nodded slowly, taking it all in, the look on her eyes softening. She crossed her arms over her chest and replied quietly. “Well, don’t stop when it’s getting good.”

Amy snorted but the serious look on Karma’s face made her deter herself. “I want to take you out on a proper date, I want to share everything with you and when I see something that reminds me of you, I go ‘if only Karma was here to see this’ but lately, everything reminds me of you, Karma. The sun, ice cream, even the exposed bricks on a house can make me think of you. And don’t get me started on the love songs. I love you in any way, Karma. Even if you listened to reggae or had holes in your jeans or if you wore cowboy hats – and you know how much I hate all of these things. Are you actually laughing at me right now?” Amy declared, disbelieving.

Karma closed the distance between them, kissing Amy, her arms crossed behind Amy’s neck. Karma smiled on the other girl’s lips and Amy pulled her closer, running her fingers through locks of auburn hair. The kiss was slow and full of tenderness. Amy put all her love in that kiss, and it seemed like Karma was doing the same thing. It was the sweetest kiss they had ever had. When their lips parted, Karma moved a hand to the nape of Amy’s neck, caressing it with her clipped nails. Lightly grazing them over Amy’s skin. Karma’s eyes were that liquid hazel Amy adored, so clear and full of warmth. And Amy felt like she could melt right there.

Amy whispered cheerfully, “So this means you’ll stay?”

“Don’t ruin this moment, buttface.” She shushed Amy but kept smiling, her hazel eyes shining. “I can’t believe you chased me on an airport. Do you think this is a John Hughes movie?”

Amy shrugged looking down at Karma’s lips and smiling. “I still got the girl, didn’t I?”

Karma shook her head, beaming and Amy lifted her arm in a ‘Breakfast Club’ gesture.

“You’re my soul mate, too. And I knew it the moment I bumped into you.” Karma confessed. “And I can’t believe you actually almost got arrested to stopping me to get on the plane. I feel like we’re Rachel and Ross.” Karma tucked a lock of Amy’s hair behind her ear.

“I would’ve gone to Austin, but I thought this was going to make a bigger impression.” She pouted and Karma kissed her pout away, giggling.

“You could’ve done that before I dispatched the bags. Now I’m gonna have to call the airline.” Karma sighed. “But none of that matters, you know why?”

Amy raised an inquiring eyebrow. “Oh, really? Why not?”

“Because you like me. You really like me.” Karma chanted and the other girl kissed her, interrupting Karma’s boasting. The kiss was youthful and full of ease. Finally they were letting things run its course.

“Come on, let’s get out of here. I want to take you on a real date.” Amy picked up Karma’s guitar case and strapped it to her back. “I didn’t even know you played the guitar.”

“I’m a woman of many talents.” She entwined their hands together.

“That explains why you’re so good with your hands.” Amy pondered, playfully;

“Amy!” Karma had the decency to blush at Amy’s smartass remark.

“What? Ashamed, much? You shouldn’t be.”

“You’re the biggest buttface I know. I just want you to know that.” Karma sighed but she couldn’t hold back the smile sprouting on her lips.

“But you love me.” Amy said, shrugging.

“I do.” They kissed again, a chaste, quick kiss. Karma sighed happily.

“Let’s go find the guys. I want them to meet my girlfriend.”

* * *

 

“When did I ever agree to this?” Karma fumbled around with the blindfold.

“Will you stop?!” Amy took Karma’s hands in hers so the other girl would stop fidgeting with the blindfold. “You agreed to let me do this, so you can’t peek. That’s cheating.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea to have me blindfolded when we are crossing one of the most populated cities in the world.” She reasoned, trying to get her hands out of Amy’s. “I’m pretty sure I almost got ran over. _Twice_.”

“You did not! Don’t you trust me?” Amy asked in mock outrage.

“I do.” She sighed. “When I can see.” Karma added in a small voice.

“You’re sleeping in the couch today.” Amy quipped, snorting “Okay. We’re here.” She got behind Karma, and untied the blindfold to reveal where they stood on.

Lots of emotions passed through Karma’s face as Amy watched her reaction. Recognition, amusement, surprise but in the end, the girl settled with indignation. Amy frowned, not sure of what she had done wrong. Karma slapped her lightly on her arm.

“You brought me blindfolded to a rooftop!” Karma scolded, but her words came with a genuine smile and Amy felt relieved. “Me! A person with fear of heights, Amy.”

Amy snorted. “I’m sorry, I was trying to be romantic!”

Karma just smiled and took in everything about the place she’d probably memorized, if she was anything like Amy. If Amy could pinpoint an exact moment where she just knew they begun, not even sure of what they were exactly beginning, this would be it. The rooftop garden, with the flowerbeds and the marble benches.

In the center of everything, a table was set, pretty and minimalistic. The whole place was decorated with buckets and more buckets of tulips, colorful ones.

Karma looked at Amy marveled, bewilderment glinting in her hazel eyes. “But Amy… How- What if someone catches us?”

“We’re not here illegally today.” At Karma’s confused look, Amy just took a badge out of her pocket, tossing it at Karma. “Turns out knowing the son of Skwerkel’s CEO has its privileges.” She shrugged.

“Liam actually talked to his father?” Karma asked in surprise.

“Well, no.” Amy grimaced. “We just figured what his father doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Today the rooftop is ours.” She smirked at her girlfriend.

She just felt Karma’s arms around her neck and instinctively let her eyes flutter shut. Soon enough, Karma’s mouth was on hers, all soft and warm and smiling on her lips, and Amy just let herself melt in the kiss, every piece finally in its place. Her arms closed around the girl’s hips, bringing her closer. They had been dating for a week now. And it was getting ridiculous that they still hadn’t gone out in an official date. Karma pitched the idea a lot to Amy. But Amy just kept giving her excuses here and there, because she had been planning the whole ordeal already. Liam gave her the biggest help with the VIP pass and Shane, well, Shane did everything else. He went with her to endless flower shops buying tulips left and right, and decorated everything, because Amy sucked at that.

And now they were here. Where they had started.

Amy pulled away. “Let’s at least not waste the table, how about that?” She whispered on Karma’s ear and the girl laughed breathlessly, nodding at her.

Amy led Karma to the table, and pulled the chair so Karma could sit, and then it was her turn to sit down.

Everything was really sophisticated, and she thanked God for Shane, because he knew how to decorate a place. And he also knew a lot about catering, and while he suggested a three course meal, Amy had other things in mind.

A waiter pushed past the door, two glasses of wine on his tray, and Karma looked amused at everything Amy had put together, not saying a word. After this waiter was done, another came in, serving them their meals. Amy could practically hear Karma thinking this whole protocol thing didn’t scream Amy, the flowers, yes, completely, but the sudden fanciness of everything, surely not. When the waiter set down their courses and removed the crown off the platter, Karma let out a hearty laugh and Amy’s heart filled with warmth. When the waiter was done serving them, he left them alone.

Karma still had traces of a smile on her lips. “Shake Shack?” She asked, pointing to their plates.

“If we’re doing this date thing, we’d better do it right.” Amy shrugged. “Besides, you seemed to have said the words ‘this was the best meal of my life’ the first time we ate these burguers.”

“I think I actually did.” She laughed again, and paused to look at Amy with the most incredible, filled with tenderness look she had ever given her. “This is fantastic, Amy. It really is. Thank you.” She stretched her hand across the table and Amy took it, her skin had memorized the format and the warmth of the girl’s hand by now, but every time they touched, Amy still felt electricity running through her. “I can’t believe I pitched dinner and a movie to you.” Karma shook her head, dismissing her own idea.

“Hey, hey!” Amy interrupted, seriously. “I would gladly go to a dinner and a movie if it means spending time with you. Fuck, Karma, I would watch grass grow with you and still be one hundred percent satisfied. Because it’s _you_.”

Karma still had the decency to blush. “We should watch grass grow sometime.” She joked but the tender look on her eyes was still there.

“We definitely should. We can even pick a place where drug deals go down sideways and we can watch.”

“You’re always promising me that.” Karma laughed.

“I thought it was pretty original, if I say so.”

“I love you, buttface.”

“And I love _you_ , nerd.” Amy winked back at her girlfriend. Whenever that word came to Amy’s mind, her insides beamed. It was so simple, full with domesticity, full of recognition. It was them.

They bumped their sandwiches in something similar to a toast, and lunched between quips and tender words the other said. Whatever Amy imagined would happen to her, she never imagined this. This sense of familiarity. It was easy, effortless, like they were meant to do it all along. She didn’t tell Karma, but her favorite constellation now were the spots of light on the girl’s hazel eyes. She had always been skeptical, she did not believe in love at first sight, or soulmates or anything like that. Until she met Karma. And if there was anything Amy believed into oblivion, it was Karma. Soulmates didn’t sound so improbable now.

They stood in the rooftop for hours, holding hands and talking and stealing kisses. Everything was how it was supposed to be. When the sun set on the city skyline, they decided to go home, and left the rooftop holding hands. That’s the way they did everything now. Always holding hands, never letting go unless necessary. This was how they planned to spend every day from now on. Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay. first order of business: thank you so much for accompaning this story from beginning to end. your support was incredible, and i am incredibly grateful for that. secondly, i hope you had a good time reading this story, and i hope you had at least one little smile on your face throughout reading it. that is very important. that's all, i guess. thank you guys for the amazing company, and don't worry, i've got another story on my sleeve already. i'm looking forward for you guys to read it. thank you so so much. and if you want to shoot me a message, even if it's to say how dumb you thought the ending was, i'm captainclarkes on tumblr.
> 
> byeeee!!

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone, this is the first chapter of a multichap fic i got the idea. i hope you liked the chapter, and that you stick around to read the rest. anyway, you can always shoot me a message on tumblr at captainclarkes.tumblr.com. i intend to put out new chapters every monday and wednesdays. byeeee!


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